Lunai sa: Book the First
by Stefynae
Summary: The Stranger, who comes with a mysterious past and an uncertain future. And when she arrives at the famous wizarding school, everything changes. The first in a series of four. For "our favorite Potions Master" fans.
1. New Surroundings

Author's Note:  This is the first part of a series that I am planning on writing.  I've tried writing HP fanfics before, but none as exciting as this one.  There's a lot to soak in, but it will be worth all your time.  I really hope you enjoy this journey I've created as thoroughly as I've enjoyed creating it.

Disclaimer:  All characters that are recognizable from the Harry Potter books do indeed belong to the master herself, J.K. Rowling.  Everyone else belongs to me.  

***

**_Lunai-sä_**

_Book the First ~ The Stranger_

_PROLOGUE:_

_How cowardly it is to run from our enemies; to have the choice of facing them-and the chance of defeating them-and deciding against it; to show our weaknesses and therefore weaken ourselves; to bring about our defeat and leave us with nothing but the pain of wondering what would have happened if we had not run, but turned our cowardice into bravery._

_***_

The Dark One's power was at its peak the year she came into their lives; evil had replaced his blood and was now flowing through his veins instead of the precious liquid that brought life.  Life—he had nothing of the sort; he roamed the earth dead.  His heart was stone.  He possessed no feelings—compassion, remorse, or the like.  He killed as if it were a hobby, and he enjoyed it as such.  No one could stop him; he was invincible.  All were afraid of him; even she flinched in his presence.  But she would come, and change everything—for the prophecy named the year after "The Year of the Dark One's Demise".    

***

A young girl wanders among the hundreds that fill the London train station.  She is not extraordinarily special in any way.  Her long auburn hair falls to the middle of her back and contains two thin, odd-looking braided wraps on either side of her face.  She is tall, tan, lean and her features are hard.  Her green eyes show no mercy, and with her peach lips pressed she expresses her extreme dislike for conversation.  Her nostrils flare at the sign of her annoyance with the humans that block her way as she pushes through them toward her destination.  The place is too crowded, giving her a claustrophobic feeling.  It is dark and loud, and contains odd smells that she is not accustomed to.  She runs into someone every five seconds but they don't seem to care; everyone is bumping into everyone else.  Her slow pace enrages her and she secretly wishes to leap over their heads in order to gain some distance.  Her luggage frustrates her even more, as it is unnecessary for her in any other normal circumstance.  But this is no ordinary situation for her.  She is stepping out of her familiar and ancient world and into one she has only heard about from her elders.  She is used to awesome adventures and great dangers, but her own genius and antagonizing personality has landed her in a position that has forced her into this human world—this smelly, dark, crowded, loud world.  She has no choice.  She is only safe when she is under his care.     

Book the First

Chapter One: New Surroundings

She stopped a moment.  Her dress was as plain as could be.  She wore pants—jeans, she remembered the sales person calling them—and a green sweater.  Her shoes squeaked as they turned uneasily over the freshly mopped floor.  She had been pushed around by so many people that she was lost.  She reached in her pocket and pulled out a tattered piece of paper with a man's handwriting on it:

_            Hogwarts Express_

_            Platform 9 3/4_

_            900H_

She pulled out her pocket watch.  It was an extraordinary mechanism.  Something the man in the store said would last a lifetime.  She had always used sundials in order to keep track of the time, but this device rather intrigued her, and was glad for its easy interpretation. 

            _8:45_

She looked up at the signs protruding from the brick columns, indicating her location.  She had reached her destination, but still had no idea where she was.  She cursed under her breath.  As her eyes wandered they come to rest upon a young boy with a cart full of luggage; she guessed him to be around seventeen years of age, but with the little knowledge she had of his species, could have been completely off.  He was of medium height, with dark brown hair and a muscular build.  He was staring at the beam between platforms nine and ten.  As she approached him the boy turned around, obviously sensing her powerful presence.   

            "Hogwarts?"

She nodded her head; he extended his hand.  Not knowing what this gesture implied, she looked at him with a quizzical look.  He drew his hand back, quite awkwardly.

            "It's called a handshake," he paused uneasily.

            She had of course heard of such a thing before, but it was quite uncommon in her homeland.  She forced a smile and he held out his hand again.  The girl then raised her own hand and the boy clasped it before anyone noticed their embarrassing situation.  

            "I'm Blaine Hopkins."

            "I am glad to meet you, Blaine Hopkins."

The boy's eyes narrowed and his brows fell onto his eyelids in a very scrutinizing face.  The girl quickly looked away and proceeded to glance around at the people who occupied the space around them.  All of them were rushing; rushing onward toward their destinations, rushing through life.  How interesting it was to her to watch humans be humans.  Especially the ones they call muggles.  They were so oblivious, so naive, and so helpless.  Her pursed lips curled downward into a frown.

            "So...do you have a name?"

The girl winced; of course she had a name.  But hers was too complex for his simple mind.  Yet she was just as foolish for not having offered a name to him after he had done the same for her.  What a terrible human she had turned out to be. She searched her mind for the memory of the name her and her savior had created, and with great luck found it almost instantly. 

            "Dorrin.  Chambers."

            "Pleasure to meet you, Dorrin."

            "The pleasure is all mine, Blaine."

The boy smiled.  He had perfectly straight and brilliant white teeth.  

            "Right then.  Let me show you the way in."  

He winked.  She nodded.

            "All you have to do run straight through that wall."

He pointed to the beam in front of them; it was solid brick.  The girl raised a curious eyebrow—to which the young boy laughed.

            "Seriously.  It sounds dumb, but there's no other way.  Ladies first then?"

He pulled his cart back out of the way to make room for Dorrin's.  Grasping on to the handle, she jogged to the barrier.  It was strange how no one in the station noticed her running into a wall.  Relentless in her journey, Dorrin halted only when she realized her surroundings had changed.  Emitting smoke, fumes, and a hint of magic into the air, a great steam engine stood before her.  There were less people there; or perhaps it felt that way because there were more children—smaller children, to which she could look over.  Dorrin felt a slight hint of relief; the atmosphere at Platform 9 ¾ was much more welcoming.  She quickly moved out of the way as she sensed the boy following her lead.  They walked together to drop off their luggage at the back of the train.  After lifting his trunk to the loader, Blaine attempted to help Dorrin, whose trunk was twice as heavy (she was, after all, a female).  He staggered a bit, but before completely falling backwards the girl helped with the load.  Following the completion of that task, they walked together back toward the passenger cars.

            "Would you like to sit with me?" Blaine asked out of pure civility.

The girl tipped her head yes.  As they walked, Dorrin watched the new breed of humans scramble about her.  A few gave her an odd look, and when she noticed they quickly turned away.  She smiled to herself.  Soon others stopped and stared; they were drawn to her.  Time seemed to stand still as the magic folk turned to watch the new magical creature enter into their lives.  Blaine got on board, but the girl hesitated before stepping up.  He turned to her.

            "What's wrong?"           

            "I have yet to experience a journey aboard a locomotive."  The boy paused, perplexed.

            "Well, it's a first time for everyone."

He extended his hand once more, and the girl was confused by his repeated notion for a handshake.  Deciding to go along with this strange human's rituals, she placed her hand in his, but instead of a handshake she was pulled into the car.  She did not expect such an action and was therefore taken by such surprise that she fell against the boy, who in turn crashed into the wall behind them.

            "Sorry."

She removed herself from his arms and dusted herself off.  Then she allowed him to lead her to a traveling compartment.  The hall separating the rows was larger than most, allowing for plenty of room to move around. As they passed other full rooms, heads popped out as if a magnet were pulling them to her.  She herself stopped to look through a compartment door at a young boy, who sat at a window looking out at the platform, while his blonde-haired companion argued with a rather snotty but knowledgeable girl that sat across from them.  The boy slowly turned to her--not knowing he was looking right at her, but knowledgeable that she was there.  She heard a door open, and Blaine beckoned her into their own room.  The seats were large and comfortable, covered in plush red velvet.  The window spread across the entire length of the room.  Outside a few last minute stragglers scrambled onto the steam engine.  After taking their seats an obnoxious whistle sounded, and the train lurched forward, the familiar chugging sound picking up as they exited the station.  

            "So you're new at Hogwarts, right?"  Dorrin tore her eyes away from the window.  His heavy Scottish accent annoyed the girl, but she nodded in reply to his obviously stupid question.

            "What year are you?"

            "Seven."

            "Oh wow.  And you're just now starting your witch training?"

The girl rolled her eyes—only slightly, so the boy could not see.

            "I am a transfer student."

            "Ah, I see.  Where'd you come from?"

            "Australia."

            "Oh."

The rest of their trip was silent, with the exception of a few minor (yet very annoying) disturbances made by a cart filled with odd sweets and toys.  Seeing the girl, the old witch thought better to ask if she wished to purchase anything, and moved on.  Dorrin spent the rest of the time staring absent-mindedly out the window.  The scenery was beautiful, despite the overcast sky that loomed above the countryside.  Different shades of green whirled by, interrupted by the occasional shimmering blues, provided by bodies of water.  There was an announcement that circled through the cabin when there were fifteen minutes left before they arrived at Hogwarts.  Dorrin went to her travel case and pulled out the black robes she was given to wear while at the school.  She put them on in the bathroom, which was quite a feat in itself; the lavatories were the only place that seemed regular size for a train.  She looked in the miniature-sized mirror and scowled; the robes looked ridiculous on her.  And they itched.  She returned to her compartment—scratching the whole way—to find Blaine already in his robes.  The crest on his left breast was of a proud lion enveloped in crimson and gold.  Noticing her curious stare, the boy explained the four houses to which one was sorted.  Dorrin acted interested, but was too preoccupied with her anticipation of their arrival.  When the train finally came to a halt, the girl stepped out.  The rush of fresh air that filled her lungs was indeed very welcome.  The sun was setting in the west; it painted beautiful reds, oranges, and purples across the sky.   Blaine stepped down and came to her side, trying to understand why she stared up into the air as she did.  When Dorrin finally came out of her oblivion, she extended a hand to Blaine.

            "Thank you for your service."

            "Your welcome.  I'll see you at the feast."

***NOTE: For those who need clarification, this story takes place a year before Harry defeated Voldemort.  Hence the prophecy "Year of the Dark One's Demise", and the statement that this was the year AFTER Dorrin came to Hogwarts. 


	2. The Sorting

Chapter Two: The Sorting

A booming voice pierced the girl's ears.  She turned to look into the face of a giant.  

            "Dorrin Chambers?  Dorrin Chambers!" he yelled, looking up from a piece of paper.  Dorrin stepped up to him.

            "I am Dorrin Chambers."  The man looked down at her and smiled.

            "Well all righ' then Dorrin.  Dumbledore told me to look after ye.  So, um, follow me."  Hogwart's Keeper of Keys and Grounds soared over her like a giant tree.  He was just as round as one too, but had the face of a gentle bear.  He turned around and beckoned the girl to follow him.  He walked her to the rowboats that would take them up to the castle.

            "Hogwarts has never had a new student start in their seventh year before.  Dumbledore don't really approve of it."

            "There is a first time for everything."

Dorrin climbed into a small rickety old rowboat with two other smaller children.  They looked nervously back and forth at each other and decided, in their best interest, not to engage in conversation with this girl.  The ride to the castle was long, tedious, and completely unnecessary.  The sun had set, and the night was as black as a raven's feathers.  There were no stars out that night, and Dorrin frowned because of it.  Even the moon was shrouded in an eerie glow, casting an even more ghostly reflection on the water.  The ink black surface of the lake rippled slightly as the boats passed over it.  The girl was glad to reach the shore, for as much as she loved the water; her two companions practically clung to her robes in fear of falling overboard.  Upon arriving at the front gates, Hagrid shuffled the first years--and Dorrin--into the foyer.  Everything was made from a light marble stone.  Great carvings covered every inch of the space and every footstep the children made echoed a thousand times through the area.  As they climbed the steps an old witch was waiting for them.  She unfolded her arms and surveyed this new batch.  The girl's eyes met the old woman's.

            "Miss Chambers.  We've been expecting you."

The girl forced a smile and the witch returned the same half sincere motion.  Then she turned to address the rest of the first years, who itched with anticipation and nervousness.  Dorrin sighed at their childish behavior.  When she had finished her speech, the old woman walked to the great oak doors that were previously behind her.  The rest of the group followed her and the doors opened by themselves as they were led to the front of the Great Hall.  It was filled with light from flickering candles above them.  Dorrin noticed that the ceiling seemed to be nonexistent, and instead the hall was open to the night sky outside--which was still starless.  Four tables lined the floor, and one perpendicular one sat at the front of the room.  The tables were filled with the rest of the student body and staff at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  The room fell silent as heads turned in Dorrin's direction.  Standing two heads taller above her entire squadron, the girl ignored the whispers and the eyes that scrutinized her.  When her group stopped walking, the sorting began.  The girl looked up at the staff table to the man whom she owed her life.  He looked older than the last time they had met, but he looked youthful in spirit.  She gave a curt but deeply respectful nod; he, a wink.

            "Chambers, Dorrin."

The teachers and students laid all eyes upon her as she stepped up to her seat on an old stool.  Dorrin had no choice but to look at the see of faces staring back at her, examining her.  She averted her gaze to the doors straight ahead of her as the witch placed an old ragged hat on her head.

            "Ah, it's you.  I've heard you were going to be joining us this year," the hat said into her hair.  "So which house will it be?"

            "Where bravery comes before cleverness and kindness, for I need nothing of the latter."

There was a pause.  "Despite the fact that you seem to misunderstand the criteria of our houses,"

The girl sighed and started to twitch from aggravation.

            "GRYFFINDOR!"  It shouted.  

There was no clapping as the girl rose from her seat and took one at her assigned house's table.  She sat next to her Hogwarts Express companion, and proceeded to watch the rest of the ceremony.  She became a people-watcher once again, and noticed that the boy and his friends from the train were also Gryffindors.  After the sorting was finally over, and the Headmaster gave his beginning of the year speech, the once empty tables were suddenly covered with foods of all sorts.  The students grabbed at everything in a most unprofessional way, while Dorrin looked around for something worth consuming.  She looked up once more at the staff table, but this time her eyes strayed to the end, where a dark clothed man sat silently watching.  Their eyes met.  His were dark and cool--empty like his heart, which Dorrin could sense through the tunnel-like holes.  He immediately felt strange inside; it was like something was inside him--swimming through his veins--trying to find something.  He didn't know what.  He just knew that this girl looking at him now was no ordinary witch.  Albus Dumbledore never took on new students unless there was a very good reason--if he only knew.

            "Blaine?"

            "Yesh?"  The boy shot up from the bread roll he had been consuming.

            "Who is that professor that sits at the end of the table?"     

Blaine looked up to where the girl's gaze led.  The professor had looked away almost instantly after Dorrin had laid her eyes upon him.  

            "That's Professor Snape.  He teaches Potions, but he's been after the Dark Arts job ever since he came here a few years back.  He's always got a stick up his bum about something.  Pretty strict, so don't try anything funny with him."

            "Potions..." she drifted off as she poked at a leg of chicken the boy had placed on her plate.  He was not so sure about his decision to befriend the girl.

            "Don't they have chicken down in Australia?"

            "Yes, but it is not a common intake of nutrition among my people--family."  She reached for the platter of vegetables, and Hopkin's fellow Gryffindors gave him odd looks.  He shrugged his shoulders and continued with his own meal.  

After the feast, the students were lead to their respected houses.  The Potions master watched as the new student exited the Great Hall.  Just as she was about to turn the corner, she turned around and locked eyes with him...and winked.  Instantly he was warmed to the core.  It was a feeling that he had never experienced, and he was quite surprised by it.  This girl intrigued him, and he looked forward to their first Potions class together.

When Dorrin turned to follow her classmates, she met instead the headmaster of Hogwarts.

            "_Regalya, Miss Chambers.  Please, may I have a word?"_

Dorrin nodded and was lead to Dumbledore's office.  It was quite a pleasant place, with more gadgets than she had ever seen in one place.  A great phoenix cooed softly as Dumbledore took his seat behind his desk, but the girl remained standing.  

            "How was the trip here?  No trouble I hope."

            "No, indeed I was quite safe.  Thanks to this."  She pulled out a stone from her pocket.  A stone that contained a Halongel, a magical flower which repelled Dark Magic.  It seemed forever ago that he had given it to her for her protection, but in reality was only a few months ago.  Dorrin remembered the night 

perfectly.  

***

She had written to him only as a last resort.  There was nowhere else for her to go; nowhere else for her to hide.  So she took the advice of a very reliable friend of hers and contacted Albus Dumbledore.  She explained her situation; how she had landed herself in quite the predicament and how her life was now in danger.  He wrote back saying he was eager to have her.  They met on an unusually cool day at the end of July.  She arrived by horseback and when she dismounted he was there waiting for her.  After a stiff introduction, she was led up to the same room she was in now.  They talked for hours about everything; it was an amazing conversation.  Albus had offered her the choice of staying at the school sooner than the start of the term, but she wanted her new identity to seem as real as possible.  Before she left, the Headmaster embraced her as they stood outside in the evening sun, with the wind rustling their clothes and hair.  It was an odd sensation for her--being hugged by a human--but she had gathered that he was a jaunty and optimistic sort of fellow.  His arms were warm and welcoming, and she melted into his hug.  She really hoped, as she climbed back on her steed, that every human she met would be as sweet as this one.  But it was wishful thinking.  

***

Dumbledore took the stone and placed it in his top drawer.  "Thank you again for all of your assistance, Albus.  I cannot comprehend a way to repay you," she caressed her chin, thinking.  "Although I have noticed my 'human' survival skills have frightened some of the other students here."

The old wizard's eyes twinkled as he let out a hearty laugh.  "Ah yes, I too have noticed their odd behavior.  You can only learn so much about us through books and stories.  In order to act like a human you must have experience in the field with them. Study them--the way they talk and act.  You'll get the hang of it before you know it."  The girl smiled as he led her to the door.  Before exiting she gave him a hug.

            "Thank you, Albus.  It is so good to see you again."  He smiled.  His periwinkle eyes twinkled in the soft candlelight that filled his office.  They paused in silence for a moment, examining each other.  Dorrin smiled.  

            "What is it, child?"

The girl shook her head.  "It's nothing of great importance."  He raised his eyebrow.  She sighed and replied, "It's just that...you remind me of a man I once knew."  She stopped.

            "And who was this lucky fellow who you once knew?"

            "My father."  The old man smiled and gently pushed her out the door.  Waiting outside was Blaine.

            "Hey.  I saw you go with Professor Dumbledore--is everything all right?" he asked after noticing the water in her eyes.

            "Yes.  Everything is fine."

            "OK," Blaine replied, not totally believing her.  "Well, I though I would wait for you so you made it up to the dorms OK."

            "That is very kind of you," Dorrin said as he escorted her to the Gryffindor common room.  It was a good thing that he had waited for her; the castle was so dark and enchanted that her sense of direction was completely thrown off and had she been alone she would have gotten lost in a heartbeat.  Before heading upstairs to her room Dorrin laid a hand on Blaine's shoulder.  "Thank you for everything you have done for me today.  I greatly appreciate it."  She kissed him on the cheek and walked up the stairs, never looking back.

            "Your welcome," a torpid Blaine whispered.

When Dorrin finally found her room, she collapsed on her bed.  It had been a very long day.  She looked to the chair at her left and noticed that new robes had been placed there with the Gryffindor emblem implanted on them.  She smiled at the thought of less abrasive robes.  All her things were there and her bed was turned down for her.  She pulled herself from her recumbent position and changed into her pajamas.  Her roommates were sound asleep when she crawled back into bed--a warm and comfortable bed.  It had been a very long day, and sleep came fast to the new student.

That night the girl dreamt of him.  He was becoming more vivid in her visions every night.  He wanted her, and he would eventually find her.  The only question was 'when?'

***LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING?  TELL ME!***


	3. The First Day

Chapter Three: The First Day

Her first day at Hogwarts was extremely long and tremendously boring.  Her classes were all pointless, as she knew more of what her professors taught than they would ever know.  As she tried to make sense of why she had chosen the way of a student, Dorrin sat down at the Gryffindor table for lunch.  She hadn't even realized who she had taken a seat next to.  A small first year with dirty blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes resided to the right of her.  The boy's head slowly twisted around on the girl.  He stared at her until she was dragged back to reality.  She looked into his augmented eyes.

            "Well, if it isn't Chase Dumbledore.  I was wondering when I would meet you."

She smiled, and Albus Dumbledore's brother's grandson returned it, though with less assurance.  He was still a bit taken back that she had sat down next to him.  By this time all the food in Nigel Berkson's mouth had fallen back onto his plate, and even Helena Saxon--who normally frowned upon her friends' immaturity when it came to girls--sat fixated in her seat.  Dorrin waited patiently for them to snap back to their senses.  Chase reacted first, and after clearing his throat, spoke.

            "I'm sorry, but what's your name again?"

            "Dorrin Chambers.  And your friends, do they have names?"  The girl smiled as Chase stumbled over his words.

            "Oh yes, of course.  This is Nigel Berkson--"  Nigel was the last to be brought back to earth, conveniently by Helena, who jabbed him in the side with her finger.

            "And I'm Helena Saxon," she said with confidence, "Hogwarts has never had a transfer student arrive in their seventh year.  Where did you say you were from?"

            "I did not.  But I am from Australia."

            "Then why do you have an English accent?"  Helena's two companions stared at her in horror as she interrogated their guest.  Dorrin, on the other hand, laughed.

            "I was actually born in England and lived here until my eleventh year," she started, "but before I could be accepted to Hogwarts, my parents were summoned to Sydney to do some research for the Minister of Magic.  So I spent my first six years of witch training down under," she recited the story from memory.  Was it convincing enough?  By the sound of Helena's 'oh' and Nigel and Chase's smirks, Dorrin knew that her story was indeed as believable as it was supposed to be.  She enjoyed sitting with Chase and his friends.  He was as interesting as she knew he was going to be, and she was flattered at Nigel's red face every time he came in eye contact with her.  Helena was at first intimidated, but by the end of the lunch hour, Dorrin had learned more about the history of Hogwarts than she would ever need to know; Helena was the most acumen person Dorrin had ever met, next to herself.

            "So what's your next class?"  Chase asked as he and Dorrin headed out of the Great Hall, with Nigel and Helena trailing behind.  The girl took out her schedule.

            "Advanced Potions."

            "Bummer," he replied, as Nigel tugged at his robes.  "Well, best be off.  Good luck with Snape."

            "Thank you," she said, still wondering how one man could intimidate so many people.

            Dorrin thought she was going to pass out on her way to Snape's classroom.  Her kind was not used to such dark places, and the dungeons were darker and more depressing than any place she had visited.  She needed sunlight desperately--anyone like her needed it to survive--but in order to maintain her cover, she stuck her chest out and breathed slow and deep as she took her seat next to Blaine.  She didn't even notice the man sitting at his desk at the front of the room, who was scribbling fiercely on a piece of parchment that lay before him.  Likewise, he didn't see her until he spoke her name during role call.  He was tall; it was the first change she got to examine him in full.  His shoulder length black hair fell in his stark white face, but he was undisturbed by it.  He wore many layers of ebony fabric, which made it hard to tell about his body composition.  He had a hooked nose and thin, indifferent lips that parted to let out a smooth, bone-chilling voice.  His soulless eyes immediately fell upon her.

            "Miss Chambers, I am surprised to see you here."  His tone sent shivers up and down the girl's spine.

            "Why is that Professor?" She had spoken before she was asked, and every Gryffindor stared at her with open mouths.  The Slytherins however, snickered at her question--because they figured it would get in her in trouble.  Snape threw his hands out from the folds of his black robes, and glided over to Dorrin's seat, hovering over her like a snake preparing for an attack.

            "Because Miss Chambers," he hissed menacingly at her, "I told the Headmaster it was a very bad idea to let a transfer student into Hogwarts, and I was hoping he would take my advice."  Dorrin looked intently straight ahead of her, not wanting to tempt the Professor to give her a punishment of any kind.  "And do you know _why I thought it was such a bad idea?" he sneered at her._

            "No," she replied, then quickly added, "Sir."

            "Because I do not think you will be able to handle the work involved in this class.  In fact, I highly doubt that you have any more intelligence than that of a second year in the area of potions."  He paused for a moment, and then moved in close enough so that only she could hear his next words.  "So I hope, for your sake, that you are a fast learner."  Dorrin couldn't believe her ears.  How could he get away with such brutality and cynicism?  Why would anyone let him?  

            "Now," Snape shouted, making students jump from their seats, "it begins.  Just because you are in your seventh and last year here, your workload will not be easier.  In fact, it will be harder.  It will be excruciating, tormenting, and boundless," he sneered slightly at the sight of his students' petrified looks.  "But, that is the price you pay for being born a wizard," he pierced Dorrin's eyes, "or witch."  Her face remained expressionless.  She knew better than to pick a fight with a human.  They were clumsy and irrational, often acting before they think of the consequences, and it would be most unfortunate if she were to kill him for threatening her.  

Snape then told them of their first assignment.  They opened their lab books and began collecting ingredients for their first potion, which was used to cure any type of allergy.  Those around her struggled to follow the directions listed in their books, but Dorrin tossed ingredients into her pewter cauldron left to right, knowing the potion by heart.  She was done within twenty minutes of receiving the assignment.  Professor Snape watched her out of the corner of his eye while patrolling the aisles, looking for every opportunity to criticize someone's work.  

            "Professor Snape?"  He jerked his head up from its position over a petrified girl who shakingly added her items under his scrutinizing eye.  

            "I am finished with the assignment."  He looked at her with a perplexed and skeptical look, but for pure amusement went and checked her cauldron.  Indeed, it looked as though she had completed the potion; it was the correct color and height at the side of the bowl and her supplies were all used up.  Yet he still refused to believe she had finished such a complicated potion in such a short amount of time.  Just then the girl he had been watching previously sneezed.

            "You, Thatcher, come here."  The girl got up from her seat and looked as though an invisible hand was dragging her as she made her way to where Snape stood.  He picked up the ladle and dipped it into the cauldron.  "Since you are so confident of your potion, shall we give it a test on poor Miss Thatcher here?"  The girl froze, mortified.  Sure, she had recently obtained allergies and they were quite bothersome, but she would have rather been lowered into a pit full of crocodiles than consume a potion that was made in _twenty minutes.  _

Dorrin just smiled and replied, "Of course."  

The Potions master shoved the spoon into the poor girl's hands and she reluctantly sipped the concoction.  Within minutes, the red from her eyes receded and her breath came from her nose, whose passages were now cleared.  A great smile graced her face, until Snape ruined the moment by slamming the ladle back onto the table.  

            "Well, since this assignment was obviously too simple for you, I have no choice to find other ways to challenge you."

So began a relationship just like any that Snape created—there was always a disparity between him and his students.  The odium with which he taught his classes made the students dread coming to it.  He had no respect for Dorrin, yet she still yearned to prove herself.  It was her nature.  She spent that night in detention with the Potions master, creating a potion in which she herself doubted its existence.  She believed he was just making her throw random items into a cauldron to make a 'potion', which explained why she never got it right.  Dorrin learned that day that the humans' way of respect for their elders was by living in fear of them--another note she would need to write to herself.


	4. A Terrible Mistake

Chapter Four: A Terrible Mistake

A couple weeks passed and Dorrin was finally getting used to the way things worked around Hogwarts.  Her species had a unique style of learning--whatever they learned, they did it fast.  She soon knew her way around the castle like the back of her hand, and she picked up on the speech patterns of the other kids in a matter of days.  Dumbledore had been right; you must interact with humans in order to act like one.

The day of the first Gryffindor Quidditch match was unusually cold.  The northerly winds had picked up early in the season and had been blowing full-force the night before the game.  Dorrin put on practically every item of clothing she brought with her--her body was not used to cold temperatures.  When everyone filled in to the stadium, Nigel and Helena invited her to sit with them.  To her, it was freezing outside.  Nigel and Helena, however, wore light jackets, and exchanged odd looks with one another at the sight of Dorrin's attire.  

            "Are you really that cold that you had to put on your entire wardrobe?" asked Helena.

            "I am from Australia, remember?  My blood starts to freeze at a higher temperature than yours.  Does it get even colder than this?"

            "Much," said Nigel, as Dorrin snuggled a little closer to him.  Helena frowned.

While the match was taking place, Nigel explained all the basics of Quidditch to Dorrin.  Despite looking interested, she still thought it silly that these humans zoomed through the air on _brooms.  The only interesting thing about the match was watching Blaine interact with his team.  He was the seeker and a wonderful captain.  Chase was on the team also.  As one of the team's Chasers he gained most of the points that lead to their eventual victory.  It wasn't a very exciting match at all.  In fact, after just forty minutes of playtime Gryffindor crushed Hufflepuff 230-20.  No one was really surprised._

That afternoon the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher--Professor Julimore--decided to hold a special dueling course specifically geared toward the type of spells one might use if they were followers of the Dark Arts.  Grant Julimore was a nice enough fellow; he was fair but strict when need be, but generally interesting to interact with.  The class was lead down to one of the dueling classrooms located on the third floor.  The curtains were thrown back and the afternoon sun poured through the pains and drenched the room and everything in it.  To their most unfortunate surprise, when they entered the room, Professor Snape stood waiting. tapping his foot impatiently.  The room became darker as the harsh realization crept upon the students--Professor Julimore had asked to help with the lessons.  

            "Well of course, who better to show examples of Dark Arts spells then the guy who used to be a Death Eater himself," a fellow classmate muttered as they laid their eyes upon the insufferable teacher.  Just as they finished filing in the room, a sharp pain hit Dorrin in her ears.  A horrifying thought struck her--_she had forgotten her tonic.  She quickly fumbled under her robes for her pouch filled with her potions, but to her dismay, it wasn't to be found.  She had left it on her dresser that morning because she was late getting up and was rushing to get to her first class.  Another sharp pain hit her while Professor Julimore was explaining what they were about to learn.  Dorrin didn't even realize her name was being called until the whole class was looking at her._

            "Miss Chambers, I asked if you would care to be a volunteer for a demonstration?" asked an annoyed Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

            "I'm so sorry.  Yes, of course, I would love to help."   Shaking violently now, the girl stepped slowly onto the platform and stopped when she realized her opponent was none other than the Potions Master.

            "Don't worry my dear," said Professor Julimore, noticing her eyes grow wide, "your safety is in our best interest.  This is just a demonstration."  It looked as though Snape thought otherwise.  He had his wand raised and his eyebrows turned down in a scowl.  Dorrin was still trembling, and the soreness in her ears had become unbearable.  Everything seemed so much louder and brighter.  A loud rumbling hit her like a train as Professor Julimore spoke.

            "Don't forget your wand, Miss Chambers."

She fumbled with her robes, trying desperately not to show her distress.  When she finally found her wand, she pointed it at Snape, who was smiling a most devious smile.  

            "Now that we are ready," Julimore began again, "Professor Snape here will now kindly remind everyone how to disarm your opponent."  

"_Expelliarmus!" Snape shouted as he hurled his spell toward the girl.  In one swift motion Dorrin's wand flew out of her hand and into the wall adjacent to the platform.  It wasn't like she ever used it anyway, but the shear force Snape had used against her wished she had it just to imagine that it would protect her.  She jumped back, dizzy and in terrible pain.  The world was falling away beneath her feet and any moment now...._

And then it happened.   Things started to become clear again, _very clear.  Her muscles tensed as they contracted, and she could feel her body start to coil.  There was no stopping it.  She took several steps back--hoping that no one was noticing the change--when she bumped into a wall.  Behind her were two swords crossed above the Hogwarts shield.  She looked back at the Professor, who was prepared for his next attack.  Her instinct took over, and as his spell hurtled toward her, she took hold of one of the swords.  It was heavier than what she was used to, but not heavy enough that she couldn't maneuver it.  She flipped through mid-air to avoid the spell and threw the blade at Snape.  When she landed the whole class was staring, dumbfounded.  Professors Snape and Julimore were in utter shock.  Dorrin stood up gradually, still dazed and in a trance.  She finally gathered her emotions and ran toward Snape, who was pinned to the wall through his robes._

            "I'm, I'm...so sorry P-p-professor S-snape," she stuttered as she removed the sword—which had landed only an inch or so above his shoulder.  "I don't know w-what I-I was thinking."  She took one look at the weapon in her hand and dropped it on the floor.  It sounded like an atomic bomb inside the silenced room.  She grabbed her face and ran out before anyone could speak to her.  How could she have been so foolish to let this happen?  Had anyone noticed the change?  Perhaps not.  But the way her attitude changed...ugh, it was going to be a long rest of the day.


	5. A Convincing Story

Chapter Five: A Convincing Story

Dorrin sprinted up to her room.  Her pouch lay as it had last night--on her dresser.  She tore open the flap and pulled out a vial filled with a dark green liquid.  The pain was driving her to the point where--if she had lost her sanity (which she was close)--she would have gulped the entire bottle and blacked out.  But being the circumspect being she was drank but two small sips.  Almost immediately the pain from her ears, eyes, and muscles had dwindled down to nothing.  After a few deep breaths, she walked over to the mirror.  There she was, though it was not her.  Te reflection was of her human self--simple, plain, ordinary.  Dorrin brushed her hair back behind her ears and they seemed to be normal.  Just then there was a knock on the door.

            "Dorrin?  It's Sage.  Are you alright?"

            "Yes.  I'm fine.  You can come in."

Sage LeBroke was a roommate of Dorrin's.  She was kind and motherly--always making sure that everyone around her was comfortable and happy.  And she was the first to console during a crisis.  She pulled open the door and walked over to Dorrin, who was still at the mirror.  A very worried expression crossed her face.

            "What happened back there?  One minute you were all shaking and scared and the next it looked like you were ready to kill Snape."

Dorrin searched for an explanation.  "Sage, you might want to sit down for this."

Her friend backed up until she hit the bed and fell to a sitting position.  She looked frightened and curious all at once.  Dorrin let out a heavy sigh.

            "You must promise not to tell anyone about this."  Her friend nodded her head in agreement.  Dorrin replaced the cork in her vial and placed it in Sage's hand.  The girl looked up into her eyes.  Sensing her bewilderment, Dorrin replied, "I was born with this defense mechanism.  A sort of condition in which I can get aggressive with others."  Sage narrowed her eyes and tilted her head in more confusion.  "Very aggressive.  If I am cornered or threatened in any way, I go through a painful transformation where all my senses become incredibly sharp and my muscles tense up to the point where they nearly explode," she was yelling now.  "This potion keeps me from getting to that point.  I forgot to take it this morning."  Sage's eyes were now huge.  She couldn't believe that this sweet little naive friend of hers could ever contain so much power or rage.  

            "Well, let's hope Professor Snape will go for that; he's absolutely furious.  He sent me up to retrieve you."  She gave the vial back to Dorrin, who in turn placed it in her pouch.  Determined never to make the same mistake, she buckled her sack around her waist and covered it within the folds of her robe.  Then she followed Sage out of their room and down into her impending doom.

Sage walked with Dorrin all the way down to the door of the Potions master's office.  The dungeons choked the life out of the prisoner even quicker than the first time she had entered them.  When Sage turned to leave, she grabbed her arm.

            "Where are you going?  You can't leave me like this."

            "What are you talking about?  I'm not the one that got you into this mess.  Besides, I was told to come back to class after I delivered you.  Sorry, Dorrin, but you're on your own."

It was the last thing she wanted to hear.

The door to Professor Snape's office opened with much less ease than the previous time Dorrin had encountered them.  They screeched so loudly that she thought they were calling out to the Professor that his captive had arrived.  There was less light in this room than there had been in his class, if that was even fathomable.  The only light came from a few well-placed candles on his desk.  There were walls lined with jars and boxes—all of which Dorrin refused to look at, for obvious reasons.  There were papers everywhere, but the area was well organized; it was propensity for Snape to always be well organized.  She walked unhurriedly closer to him, careful not to bump into anything in the cramped space.  Her meticulous efforts failed her when a jar full of slug-like creatures fell off a stool she brushed against.  Luckily, she caught it before it fell to the ground.  Despite the racket she was making, he didn't even so much as lift his head.  He was still scribbling as feverishly on the parchment as he had the first day he spoke her name.  Dorrin wished now that she had another name to go by. 

            "Miss Chambers," the Professor hissed, placing his pen down and lifting his head to meet her frozen stare, "I believe you have some explaining to do."

Summoning up what courage and pride she had left, Dorrin reached into her robes and pulled out the bottle that she had shown her friend just minutes earlier.  She placed it on Snape's desk and preceded to tell him the same story she had told Sage.  Despite it's persuasive plot, the professor didn't buy it.

            "Although your explanation sounds convincing, I do believe there is something that you are leaving out.  Something very big and very important."  His eyes penetrated hers like a thousand poisoned arrows.  Although she had told herself not to be intimidated by any human--especially this one--she couldn't help but shrink away at his glare.  Perhaps it was the lack of sunlight, or the sickening pair of eyes that watched her in a jar from above his head   Whatever the reason, Dorrin knew she wasn't going to leave his classroom until the truth was told.  And frankly, she was tired of hiding.


	6. Secrets Revealed

Chapter Six: Secrets Revealed

In spite of her longing to tell someone about her true self, she was apprehensive about it; so she tried to drag the façade on as long as she could.

            "I'm sorry but I don't know what you're talking about Professor," she lied.  Unfortunately, he could see right through her.  He got up from his desk and glided to a halt right in front of her.  He seemed much taller than before.

            "I would not recommend lying to me, girl.  I have ways of extracting the information I want to know from those who can supply it to me."  His eyes were glacial and sinister, and his voice was deep and menacing.  But Dorrin continued playing.

            "I'm not lying to you sir.  I assure you that--" 

            "YOU HAVE ASSURED NOTHING!" the Potions Master shouted as his fist pounded the desk.  "I know you are hiding something from me, Miss Chambers.  You have been acting out of place ever since you first arrived.  You seemed to act superior to your peers.  You did not talk like them, but soon you learned.  You caught on all too quick, and you know too much about potion making.  I didn't question Dumbledore as to why he let you into this school, but I knew it had to do with something more than you just having to be a transfer student.  And my suspicions have been confirmed this very afternoon with your little spectacle.  No one—wizard, witch, or muggle—can move like you did today."  He moved in closer to her, his lips practically touching her ear, their hair falling in sync with each other, and his breath hot on her skin.  Then he whispered, "I want the truth."

Dorrin practically fainted.  She couldn't believe the power he had over her.  But instead of falling limp to the ground she looked him square in the eye and said, "If you have any respect for me or your employer, you will first seek his permission before I tell you anything of who I really am."

While this is what he wanted to hear—that she did indeed have a secret—he wasn't expecting it to come out like this.  Severus Snape stepped back, looked into the dark green eyes of this strange student of his, and replied, "Fine".  He went back to his desk and pulled out another piece of parchment.  While he was writing, Dorrin walked silently to the door.  "Where do you think you are going?"

            "I thought we were finished here."  Snape raised a solitary eyebrow at her.  

            "Perhaps that is your problem.  You think to much."

Dorrin was drawn to his side again.  The parchment he was writing on was no ordinary piece of paper.  She watched him, mesmerized by his angelic hands.

_Albus,_

_I have Dorrin Chambers with me, and she is willing to confess whatever she has to hide as long as you give her permission to do so.  I ask you now if you will grant that authorization._

Almost as soon as he was finished the paper soaked up the ink, and an invisible hand now wrote:

_Of course, Severus.  If she is ready to tell others, then let it be so.  She has my permission.  I only hope you will accept her as eagerly as I did._

Professor Snape leaned back in his chair, looking quite satisfactorily at Dorrin as she plucked the paper from his desk.  She raised it in the air to get a better look, and mumbled, "I guess I should give some credit toward human inventions."  Now the professor was exceedingly curious, and he let her know by clearing his throat unusually loudly.  Dorrin gave him a look of extreme annoyance but instead of announcing her disapproval, reached into her pouch and pulled out another vial—this one filled with a deep crimson liquid.  She placed it in front of her Potions professor, right next to the green bottle.

            "This potion," she said, pointing to the green, "prevents me from turning into what this liquid [the red] reveals as my true self."  She studied the professor, who now wore a look of sheer bewilderment.  In order to clarify, Dorrin lifted the cork out of the red vial and took a few sips of its contents.  The transformation that took place then was much less painful than that of a few hours ago.  Snape's eyes fell onto the floor as he watched his student's long brown hair fall to the ground as brilliant silver-white hair took its place.  Dorrin's muscles flexed and grew, and when she opened her eyes, they were a brilliant emerald green instead of the dark forest green they had once been.  Two thin marks had appeared under her left eye--one on top of the other--with the former having a small freckle-like dot on the end toward the nose.  A mark also spread over her left shoulder--a backward crescent moon with three stars above it.  But when he really looked her over, the most noticeable difference in her appearance were her ears…they were pointed.

Professor Snape jumped up from his desk.

            "You're…an ELF?"

Dorrin placed her hands on her hips.  

            "You say that as if you are disgusted with the fact."  He fumbled for words.

            "No, it's just, I suppose…I wasn't expecting this."

            "Well what exactly were you expecting?  A troll?"

            "No, no, nothing like that."  Dorrin gave him a moment to collect himself.  When he did, he folded his arms and began to interrogate her.  "So if you are an elf, how old does that really make you?"

            "One thousand and three years old; which explains why I know far more about potions than you."  Her comment made the professor shudder with choler an instant, but he surprisingly let it slide.  Perhaps this was because she was now herself--her very powerful self.

            "Why are you at Hogwarts then?"

Dorrin flinched—she knew that would be his next question, and she wasn't quite sure if she wanted him to know.  But he wanted the truth.  So she reached once again into her pouch of potions and took out yet another vial filled with a deep sapphire-colored liquid.  She placed it next to the other two bottles and said, "This is why."  After noticing that perplexed look of Snape's, she continued with, "Tell me Professor, have you ever heard of the Siberian Korento Dragon?"

            "Yes, but that species has been extinct for hundreds of years now."

            "No, they are an endangered species.  Or at least he is.  I met one on one of my journeys.  We got to talking and eventually joined forces to create this potion—which contains his blood."  The professor picked up the bottle and passed it between his hands. 

            "And what does this potion do?"

            "It will make its consumer immune to all magic—from that of a mere first year to the greatest and most powerful wizard or magical creature ever to exist.  Any magic directed toward him/her would be reflected off their body and back on to the one who cast the spell or ignited the harm.  Mind you, this doesn't make the person's magic stronger, but they do become unstoppable.  So you can imagine," she said as she yanked the bottle from him, "what would happen if this got into the wrong hands.  Hands like those of your previous employer."  With that remark Snape gave a low grumble of dissatisfaction.

            "Why haven't you just destroyed it?"

            "Well, I would have, except I don't know how.  I cannot recall how we even produced it in the first place, so I can't very well come up with a counter potion, and all the magic in the world could not destroy it.  Voldemort knows about it," Snape flinched at the sound of that name, "and he has been chasing after me to get it.  That is why I came to Hogwarts.  I knew I would be safe under Dumbledore's watchful eye.  I also knew that if I came here, I could seek out the help of a certain Potions master who might be able to help me deceiver how this potion came to be—and perhaps come up with a way to get rid of it."  Snape thought hard for a few minutes, and then his pain began.

***LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING?  TELL ME!***


	7. An Unexpected Storm

Chapter Seven: An Unexpected Storm

Dorrin didn't know what was happening when he grabbed his arm and bit his lip in order to suppress a scream.  Snape keeled over and nearly fell to the ground, but luckily Dorrin's reflexes went into effect and she rushed to catch him.  The air in the room became dense and ghostly.  The flames of the candles flickered as moans came from the man clutching his forearm.  His contorted in fury and pain as Dorrin led him to his chair and sat him down.  

            "Are you all right?" she could have slapped herself for asking such a dumb question.

            "I'm fine.  It's just a cramp."

            "Let me see it."  The professor's eyes widened a little as the elf tried to roll up his sleeves.

            "NO!  I said I'm fine," he shouted, still grasping his arm, "I think you should leave."

            "But if you will only let me see--"

            "Please leave.  We are finished here Miss Cham--" another sharp pain hit and this time he could not hold back a scream.  A bolt of lightning lit the office as an unexpected storm blew in.  Dorrin paused a moment, wanting to help but agitated at his refusal.

            "Professor please, let me help you.  I can ease the pain that he inflicts upon you."  Beneath his robes, through the many layers, a faint glow could be seen radiating from his skin.  Severus Snape looked into the elf's eyes and did something that he had never done before.  He took off his robes, rolled up his sleeves, and exposed his Dark Mark for her to see.

Dorrin placed both her hands on the mark, still glowing and pulsing with every beat of the man's racing heart.  Then, without warning, she pulled his arm to her lips, kissing it gently.  When she released the glowing subsided.  Snape pulled his arm away from her and gaped vacantly.

            "Explain yourself, Miss Chambers."  Dorrin rolled her eyes.

            "Elvin saliva is known to possess an enzyme which holds a great healing power," she paused, then said, "_Tor néyo."_

            "Pardon?"

            "Elvin for 'your welcome'," she said with a smirk.  

The man was a little taken back by her statement, but after comprehending it replied, "Thank you."   Rain pounded against the window and thunder shook the castle walls as Professor Snape and his elf student lapsed into a most uncomfortable moment of silence.  It was Dorrin who broke it first.

            "He's near, isn't he?" she asked as she headed to the window.

            "Yes."

Dorrin watched the storm a moment, and then turned around.  A brilliant light emanated from the bottom drawer of Snape's desk.

            "Professor?"

Snape followed her gaze.  He let out a heavy sigh and said very quietly, "He calls for me."  Dorrin had known that he was a double agent for Dumbledore, and so understood his undertones that told her it was really time to leave.  

            "Then I shall go."  She gathered up her things and drank a sip from one of the bottles that lay scattered across his desk.  Her pure white hair faded back to the dull brown it once was, and her ears returned to a human form.  As she headed toward the door, Snape followed behind her.

            "Your secret is safe with me, Miss Chambers," he said as he pulled open the door for her.  Before letting her go he asked, "Speaking of which, I am presuming your name is not Dorrin Chambers?" 

            "No respectable elf would name their child Dorrin Chambers.  My real name is--" she paused.  It wouldn't mean anything to him—just some unpronounceable title.  But knowing something that he didn't know had a slight appeal to it.  "_Räénh __Clothéos dal Stèlaã," she recited in her native language.  Severus coughed to hide his confusion._

"Well, that is quite…interesting.  Though I am afraid I would not be able to repeat it so accurately."   The girl smiled to herself, then looked thoughtfully into Snape's eyes as she rubbed her chin.  

"Reign.  Call me Reign."  Then she slipped out the door and into the bitter cold blackness that was night.

***I'M SENDING YOU A MESSAGE...CAN YOU HEAR IT?  "REVIEW...REVIEW...REVIEW..."***


	8. Point of Mission

Chapter Eight: Point of Mission

            When she closed the door, Snape grudgingly returned to his desk.  The sting in his arm started to grow again, and as he reached for his bottom drawer, he winced as his mark returned to a steady glow.  He reached inside and pulled out a black mask.  Lying next to the disguise was a quill—it shined ever so brightly as Severus retrieved his cloak.  He pulled on the shroud, covered his face with the mask, and picked up the radiating quill.  He wrote, "I am here, master.  Do with me what you will," and the Portkey immediately transported him to the deepest depths of the Forbidden Forest. 

            The storm had passed as quickly as it had come but that didn't help Snape's situation any.  The welcoming he received was nothing of the sort.  As soon as he apparated he was thrown to the ground, having received the Cruico spell from a figure standing in front of him.  That figure was the one that Reign was hiding from.  Professor Snape could hear laughing echoing from all corners of the small clearing.  When his pain diminished, his eyes slowly came into focus.  And there, looming over him--smiling--was Lord Voldemort.

            "Severus," he hissed, not helping as the man shakingly stumbled to stand up, "you have betrayed me."

            "No master.  I would never betray you."

            "DO NOT LIE TO ME!"  More terrifying pains hit Severus and he fell to the ground once more.  "Get up, Severus."  The man did not move.  "GET UP!"  He flinched a little, dragging his arm from under him and using it to prop himself up, but he was too slow for Voldemort.  The Dark Lord took hold of his robes, lifted him high off the ground and scowled at him.  "Do you take me for a fool, boy?"

            "No," he whispered.

            "WHAT?"

            "NO, master."

            "Then why do you play me as such?"  Voldemort set the Potions master back on the ground.  The man shuttered at his power.  Voldemort laughed.  "Of course you don't know what I'm talking about.  You never had a logical cell in that incapable greasy head of yours."  He put a hand on Snape's head, and ripped off his mask.  Blood trickled from his mouth.  The Dark Lord put a finger to the blood, and then he licked it.  Severus contained so much rage and so much fear that all he could do was cower at his masters' feet.  Voldemort, on the other hand, was still smirking as he reached into his robes and pulled out a small green jewel.  "Do you know what this is?"

            "It looks to be an emerald, master."

            "Very good, Severus.  And why do you suppose I have an emerald with me?"

            "I don't know, master."  

            "Have you forgotten what your mission at that ridiculous school is?"  Voldemort reached again into his robes and pulled out a small photograph of a young girl; or rather, a one thousand and three year old elf.  Severus gasped and he shut his eyes tight.  "That's right, boy, after several painstaking years of searching for this little horror, she's finally let her guard down."

            '_Thanks to me_,' Severus thought to himself, though he dared not say it.

            "And when she did, this gem glowed like the sun, indicating she was near.  The only reasonable assumption was that she was at Hogwarts.  Where you were supposed to look out for her and tell us when she arrived."  He leaned in closer to Snape's face.  "She's been there for weeks, Severus.  Why haven't you told me?"

            "I did not know it was she you were after.  I swear I didn't know!  I apologize for my arrogance, master.  Please forgive me," he practically wept into the Dark Lord's robes.  A hand stroked his hair as a sardonic voice coaxed him.  

            "There, there, Severus.  It's all right.  I forgive you," he grabbed the man's locks and pulled his head up to where they could see eye to eye.  "But you do know that this has put us a bit behind on our master plan?"  Snape nodded.  "And someone has to make up for that lost time," another nod, though with less assurance, "and who do you suppose should be that someone?"

            "Please master.  Let it be me.  It was all my fault."

            "Yes, it was."  And the pain rushed on once more as the Potions master's surroundings faded and he returned to the castle.  Voldemort still held the stone in his hand after Severus left.  It exploded with a light so brilliant that his other hand flew to his eyes to shield them; a light so brilliant that he failed to notice the same light coming from the sky above the trees.


	9. One More Time

Chapter Nine: One More Time

Instead of heading to her chambers, Reign pulled her cloak tight and went out onto the grounds.  The grass was moist and the air crisp, but at least the clouds had cleared out.  She needed a clear night--a clear night and a full moon.

It had been almost two hundred years to the day since she had last performed the _zotîkos ritual.  She was becoming weak and her senses were beginning to fail her.  So she walked into the forest, careful not to be seen.  Her circumspect actions hid her from any who were out in the forest that night.  She stopped somewhere in the trees, perhaps a half a mile from the entrance.  It was the perfect location because it provided plenty of cover, but the moon could still be seen from a gap in the branches.  She carefully removed her robes.  It was so cold.  She shivered—not just from the frozen arctic that was her environment, but from the sensation that someone was watching her.  A twig snapped, and so did Reign.  She froze, hoping to become invisible.  It was only a moment before she realized that elves unfortunately did not have that luxury, so instead she kicked off from the ground and jumped high into the branches of the nearest tree.  Safe in her nest, she scanned the forest floor for any sign of movement.  When she was satisfied there was none, she fell gracefully back onto the earth.  _

Elves always wore a _saphie around their upper arms.  It was essential to the ritual.  Charms hung from it, as did a feather from the ancient __Kaluluwa bird and an emerald.  She unhooked the armband and positioned the emerald in the middle of her chest.  Then she chanted._

"_Gïo Kor, y ashatä lunah, zefyro ï âme. (Great __Kor and ancient moon, replenish my soul.)"  Reign leapt high into the sky, and when she cleared the trees, the moonlight caught her in midair.  The emerald soaked in the light and transmitted it into energy.  She immediately felt refreshed as the magic of her god and moon filled her veins and surged through her body.  It was an ecstasy like no human could ever imagine.  She floated only for a few minutes, and afterwards was gently lowered to the ground.  As she landed softly her emerald fell into her hand.  She replaced it on her arm and looked down to where she had left her robe.  She picked it up and dusted it off.  When she wrapped it tightly around her she pulled the hood up to block the icy cold fingers of the night.  As she made her way back to the castle she played with her hands, marveling at how long it had been since her magic had been so strong.  The sparks and strings of light laced her fingers and generated a smile on the elf's face.  That euphoria was destroyed when something large stepped out of the shadows._

"Dorrin?  What're you doin' out in the forest at this time o' night?"  It was Hagrid.  He was holding an old lantern up to his face whose light exaggerated his already concerned and slightly frightened look.  His bloodhound, Fang, sat silently by his side.  Before Reign could answer he asked another question.  "I saw a great ball o' light comin' from the sky, and it looked like you were in't.  Then I see ye through the trees and ye got lights all in yer hands.  Care to explain that one, Miss Chambers?"  Reign searched for the right words.

"Um, well, you see--" she stopped.  There was no explanation except the truth.  The giant raised his caterpillar eyebrow as he awaited a justification.  The girl sighed.  "Walk with me Hagrid."  As they made their way through the forest, Reign pulled the lantern from the man's hand and blew out the glow within it.  Before the darkness registered she sent up a small orb of light directly in front of them.  Hagrid waited patiently for her to speak, but she didn't until they reached his cabin and were inside.  

Hagrid's house was warm and inviting, and like Texas, everything was big.  A blazing fire still crackled in the fireplace as they took a seat by it.  It was then that Reign removed her hood and exposed her ears.  Hagrid gasped and his eyes bulged, but he smiled after he quickly recovered from the shock.  

            "Should've seen that comin'," he said with a hearty laugh.  "So, yer an elf.  And why shouldn't ye be?"  He got up from his chair and retrieved a teapot filled with water.  After placing it over the fire he sat back down, and Reign retold her story to the third person in only a matter of months.  Hagrid seemed quite interested, and he had every reason to, seeing as he was in love with all magical creatures.  He'd never met an elf before, so he milked the experience for all it was worth by asking a million questions.  Reign answered them all completely and composedly.  They talked far into the night.  The tea had been entirely ignored and was only brought back to attention when the boiling water poured over its edges and onto the fire.  Both Hagrid and Reign jumped from their seats as the scalding hot liquid crept onto the floorboards.  The man quickly found a rag and threw it on top of the mess.  As he was cleaning, Reign looked at the clock above the mantle.

            "Three o' clock!  Gracious, I really need to get back."  Hagrid looked up with gloomy eyes.  Not only was he sad for the conversation getting cut short, but it had been so long since he had had a visitor that he didn't want her to go.  But the gratefulness he felt for the visit overpowered the greed for company and he straightened up and led her to the door.  "My secret is safe with you, right Hagrid?" she asked before leaving.

            "Of course, Reign!  My lips are shut tighter than a Gringott's vault.  Don't you worry."  He winked and the elf stood on her toes and planted a kiss on his cheek.  The giant blushed as Reign glided down the steps and across the rain-soaked grass that was his front yard.  


	10. A Different Light

Chapter Ten: A Different Light

Reign knew she needed to go to bed, but she had a feeling she needed to be elsewhere.  On an impulse, or perhaps a sixth sense, she went down into the dungeons.  When she opened the door to the Potions classroom, her eyes fell upon Severus Snape, lying unconscious on the floor.  She ran to him and knelt down.  His face was even paler than usual, and his eyes were rolled into the back of his head.  She slapped him repeatedly and yelled his name, but he remained motionless.  Reign retrieved a vial from her pouch and, after pulling the top out, dabbed the liquid on his temples, under his nose, and on the sides of his neck.  It took a few seconds, but he awoke with a start.

            "Miss Chambers?" he whispered, blood crusted on the corners of his mouth.  She took hold of the end of her robe and spit on it, then wiped the blood away.  Then she helped him up off the ground, which was quite the feat seeing as he had been lying on the stone floor for many an hour and had yet to regain all feeling in his legs.

            "Let's get you to the infirmary," she suggested, but he refrained from moving.

            "No, I would be better off in my own bed."  After noticing her disapproval, he added, "Please."  The woman helped Severus into his chambers and laid him down on his bed.  The sheets were as black as everything else about him.  The four-poster bed had a canopy over it and was neatly made.  Unlike his office, there was no clutter in the room.  There was a large window with curtains pulled over it and shelves from wall to floor lined with books.  An enormous fireplace resided at the far side of the area, and in front of it were two oversized ivy green chairs.  An immense wardrobe stood at the left of the bed; it looked ancient.  Reign helped remove his damp and filthy robes, boots, and shirt.  Then she examined his injuries.

            "Ouch!" he cried as the elf pressed into his bruises on his arms and chest.

            "Relax," she smiled.  She began to hum a beautiful and soothing tune.  Though it looked she just seemed to be pressing harder and harder, the bruises became less noticeable and the soreness within them receded.  As he looked down to his chest where her hands were, he noticed a brilliant golden light.  It enveloped them as she kneaded his sore muscles.  He grabbed them, making them lose their glow, and also Reign's concentration.  He looked up into her eyes, shining green and wide.  Never had he known such kindness from another being--though he wasn't sure if it was just that or merely obligation.

            "Yes?"

            "What are you doing?"  He could have said it with malice, but instead it was said with a pleasant curiosity.

            "I'm healing you.  Now let me finish."  She pulled away from his grasp and reached into her pouch.  Severus hadn't even noticed that she had changed back into her original elfin form.  As she turned her head he observed her ears—elongated with a slight inward arch.  A hoop earring dangled from the top of the right ear, carved with symbols he assumed to be words of her native language.

            "You don't have to do this."

            "Would you rather I leave you here to die?"  The man's eyes grew wide.  Reign laughed.  "You have a punctured lung and internal bleeding," she said calmly as she wiped his blood from his mouth.  Then she pulled the cork out of the vial and gave it to him to drink.  "This will stop the bleeding," she answered his inquiring look.  As he choked the potion down, the elf snickered once more.  Her eyes were truly the most beautiful he had ever seen.  When he had engulfed the entire contents, he lay back against his headboard and closed his eyes.  He could tell it was effective once he began to breathe regularly again.  

            "How do you say 'thank you' in your tongue?"

            "_Ki nörh."_

_            "Ki nörh," he repeated, "Thank you.  For this," he smiled as he sat up and handed Reign her vial, "and for not questioning me about what happened."_

            "I was assuming you were just going to tell me."  Severus cocked his head, and after recognizing her sarcasm, laughed right along with her.  He had an infectious laugh, very carefree and sincere.  He also had a way of changing emotion so rapidly it was uncanny.

            "You should turn back into a human."  Reign's smile faded.

            "Why?"  Severus looked into her eyes, now curious—his were worried.

            "He knows you are here."  Reign dropped her head, then raised it to the ceiling.  Severus couldn't tell if she was concerned or furious.

            "How does he know?  You said my secret was safe with you."

            "And it still is!" he shouted as he shot up and grabbed her arm.  Reign was slightly shocked, and showed it too.  Severus let go instantly and calmly explained.  "He has an emerald.  When you transformed into your normal self it sensed your elfin powers."  He swung his legs over the edge of the bed so he was sitting next to her.  "I swear I told him nothing."  Reign got up and paced around his room.  

            "If he knows, there's no point in hiding myself anymore."  Severus nodded in agreement.  "Unless I leave."  The nodding stopped.

            "I think you are much safer here; if he finds you he will most definitely kill you."  Reign looked into his eyes—sad and soft.  She sighed.

            "You do owe me," she said.  "I need your help destroying this potion."  She held up the bottle filled with the liquid that brought her there in the first place and placed it in his hands.  "I will give us two weeks.  If no progress is made, I shall be forced to leave."

            "Sounds like a plan," he said, giving the vial back to Reign.  It was then that Severus noticed the tattoo on her shoulder for the second time.  "What is this?" he asked, stroking the spot.  Reign pulled away.

"It is the symbol of my clan.  The three stars represent the three great elfin kings that started our tribe, and the crescent moon is the sign of our god, _Kor."  _

"It's beautiful.  And these?" he asked, touching the lines under her eyes.  'This is an odd side affect' Reign thought as she leaned back.

"It's supposed to represent a comet.  I was the only child born the year this comet passed the earth, so this symbol is to remind me of my individuality."  She put the bottle back into her pouch and stood up.  "It's time for you to get some rest."  She walked to the door and opened it.  "Goodnight Professor."

            "Goodnight, Miss Chambers."  He winked.

Reign headed back to her room, pondering her decision the whole time.  There definitely was something wrong with her behavior.  If she were acting like normal she would have already left Hogwarts for a safer place.  But now, after seeing Professor Snape in such a different light, seeing him intimidated by someone else, she almost felt…sympathetic toward him?  She wasn't sure if that was the right word.  But she was afraid that the right word would also be the very most wrong word.


	11. Admiration and Suspicion

Chapter Eleven: Admiration and Suspicion

The next morning Reign woke up revitalized and rehabilitated.  She felt warm inside, though she didn't know why.  Everything seemed to go her way that day—no food fights during meals, no annoying first-years blocking the halls, and best of all—no potions homework.  Professor Snape seemed to be in an unusually good mood that day also.  Perhaps 'good' is an understatement.  He seemed 'content'—not so distant and annoyed with everything.  And Reign almost thought that for a moment, when Fayth Thatcher's cooling potion blew up in her face leaving icicles dripping off her nose and ears, Snape had cracked a sincere smile.

            After dinner Reign walked down to the dungeons, eager to begin work on the anti-potion.  When she arrived, Severus was already throwing random ingredients into a large cauldron sitting on the front desk.  He paused every so often to examine the notes he had taken after trying to pick at the original mixture's contents, but other than that he seemed completely engrossed in his work.  Reign smiled at his determination as she approached him.

            "What seems to be amusing you?" he asked after noticing the smirk.  Reign picked up his notes.

            "The sorry fact that I never even thought to take notes while making this wretched potion, while you have already taken five pages--"

            "Of worthless junk.  It is sorry that you never took notes.  For if you would have," Reign gave him that 'clam down, you're overreacting' look.  "Sorry."  He blushed—either that or he became angrier.  She wasn't sure which.  

            "It's all right.  Now," she said, taking off her robes and rolling up her sleeves, "what have you got so far?"  Snape explained what he had been working on and soon after both were throwing ingredients into the vat left and right.  After creating what they thought might work as an anti-potion, they poured both liquids into the same container.  If it worked, the liquids would simply disappear, having canceled each other out.  But of course it was just their luck that not one of the potions they produced that night worked the way they wanted it to.  In fact, their trial-and-error experimenting was quite dangerous, seeing as they had no way to predict what was to come out of mixing a very powerful potion with one which they didn't know the extent of its power.  One time Severus was leaning too far over the cauldron, and when he stood back up his head was covered with fiery red hair.  His companion thought it to be incredibly amusing, while he on the other hand was incredible red in the face.  However, his embarrassment was avenged when Reign poured a new potion too fast and some splattered on her skin, transforming her forearm's skin into dragon scales.  She had the better sense of humor, though, and laughed it right off, as he should have done.  It was two o'clock in the morning when they finally gave up.  Reign rubbed her eyes and yawned every five seconds, while Severus was still running on full.  When he noticed her lethargic behavior he told her to go to bed.  She thanked him and headed for the door.

            "Same time tomorrow then?" he asked as he started cleaning up their mess.

            Reign groaned.  "Yes.  Same time everyday till we obliterate that infernal potion."  Severus smirked as she exited.

***

Reign continued her 'education' at Hogwarts every day, and retreated to the dungeons every night to work with the Potions master.  Occasionally she managed to slip out and retreat to Hagrid's hut, but most of her time was spent down in the depths of the school.  His classroom seemed a lot less dreary, as did he himself.  He smiled easier, talked with less sarcasm, and even complimented Reign on her work.  The two had learned to respect each other, and even--I daresay it be true--learned to admire each other.  However, their regard had led them nowhere in their quest for an anti-potion, and time flew swiftly.  Before they knew it, it was the Thursday before she promised she was going to leave.  They were both becoming desperate, for neither wanted her to go.  So desperate, in fact, that the final potion they concocted blew up in Reign's face, knocking her back into Snape's desk.  She hit her head and fell onto the floor, unconscious.  Severus picked her limp body off the ground and carried her into his chambers, settling into a chair by the fireplace.  He still held her in his lap, and instead of reviving her, stroked her hair and held her close until she woke up on her own.  When she did, it was an hour after the incident, and the man who was holding her had fallen asleep.  She watched him a few moments, taking in his scent and swaying gently to the up and down movements of his chest.  Then without warning, he opened his eyes, fully awake.  

            "How's your head?" he asked, pushing back her hair to look at the swollen spot on her forehead.

            "It's been better."  Instead of lifting herself off of his lap--as she would've done in any other situation--and instead of him helping her up--as he would definitely have done--they both stayed as they were, listening to the gentle rain outside and rocking to the steady beat of each other's hearts.  Severus took her hand in his and ran his fingers along its crevices.  Their movement was like a dance.  Their fingers entwined like vines as they lay, silent.  The silence was welcomed, not deafening or awkward.  Just to be there with each other was like magic.  At least for Reign it was.  Severus was the one to ruin it.

            "So," he coughed, "we have only tomorrow."

            "I know," she sighed.  There was a pause, then Severus looked into her eyes.

            "I don't want you to leave."

            "Me neither," she replied.  Before she knew what was happening, Severus had lifted her head up and they were engaged in the most passionate kiss either of them had ever partaken in.  It was warm and gentle and…

            "Oh come off it, Helena."

            "Yeah, that's the biggest load of tripe I've ever heard!"

            "Fine, don't believe me.  But I know what I saw.  Dorrin Chambers and Professor Snape were kissing in _his chambers."  Helena, Nigel, and Chase were all sitting in the Gryffindor common room trying to make sense out of what Helena had just seen.              _

"Why were you down there in the first place?" Nigel asked.

            "I already told you, I was supposed to be serving my detention there tonight for helping Bill with his assignment today.  When I didn't see anyone in Snape's classroom, I knocked on his bedroom door.  No one answered, but I heard voices.  I guess my curiosity got the better of me."  Just then, Reign climbed through the entrance hole.  The trio remained silent as she stepped into the vicinity.

            "Hey, shouldn't you three be in bed?" 

            "Shouldn't you?" Helena shot back.  Reign paused, thinking.  Then she laughed.

            "Yes, haha.  I supposed I should be--"

            "Where have you been?" asked Nigel.

            "Oh, well let me tell you."  She took a seat by the fire.  "Today in Potions I accidentally threw in the wrong ingredients for a shrinking potion.  It turned all orange and started bubbling so Snape came over to have a look," she started laughing, "would you believe that what I made turned out to be a _crying potion?  You should have seen those tears pour out of that man's eyes after my potion blew up in his face."  She paused to collect herself.  "So naturally I got a detention for it."_

            "With Snape?" Chase asked.

            "No, are you kidding?  I don't think he'll be able to look at me for at least a whole term!  No, I served my time with Filch."  Chase and Nigel turned to Helena, smirking.  She looked desperate to make sense of the situation.

            "So where did that bruise come from?" she asked, pointing to Reign's head.

            "Oh that," she laughed uneasily, "I was on my way down to Filch's office, when a bloody shoe hit me right in the noggin.  Turned out it was Peeves having a bit of fun with a first-year's boot.  Nearly knocked me out, that thing did."  Satisfied with her story, the two boys said their goodnights and headed up the stairs to their rooms.  "Well, I should head up too.  Are you all right, Helena?"  

            "Yeah, yeah.  I'm fine."

            "Alright then.  Goodnight," Reign said as she headed up to her room, leaving a very confused Helena Saxon behind.  


	12. Confused Love

Chapter Twelve: Confused Love

It was a very long Thursday for Reign.  She knew she had to leave in order to stay alive, but her admiration for Severus had torn her.  She wanted so desperately to stay; if only they had concentrated a little harder, or that potion hadn't blown up in her face, or if she had said three weeks instead of two.  Despite her feelings for the potions master, she knew what she had to do.  Besides, she wasn't exactly sure if he felt the same for her.  During potions that day he hadn't even glanced at her, less talk to her.  She was confused, and her face showed it as she walked through the corridor to her next class.  It was a cold day in early December.  Christmas was near, but it seemed so far away for the students at Hogwarts.  Reign's confusion turned into annoyance as she pushed her way through the underclassmen.  Unbeknownst to the normal eye, a door she was about to pass stood slightly ajar.  As she walked by, a pair of cold, pale hands took hold of her robes and pulled her inside the dark room.

            "_Latá nyèm!" she cursed as she stumbled to regain her footing.  Her eyes were glowing; they lit up the small area in front of her face, and within it the face of Severus Snape.  Seeing him made her relax a little--something other people do not normally do in his presence.  "For __Kor's sake, Severus, don't DO that ever again!"  _

            He laughed at her threat.  "I'm sorry.  I just wanted to see you."  Reign reminded him that she had a class with the man, and he had ceased to acknowledge her existence during that period.  He looked concerned.  "Yes, I know.  But you know I have an image to uphold.  I didn't want my feelings for you to get in the way of my teaching."  He smiled as he put his arms around her waist.  The castle didn't seem as cold in those arms.

            "I understand."  Reign sighed.  She was lost in a dream world.  Severus held onto her like he'd never let her go.  Unfortunately, a little voice tried to reason with her.  "Listen, Severus.  We still haven't found an anti-potion yet, and remember what I said--"

            "What?  Reign, surely you can't be thinking of leaving now."

            "I know.  I don't want to leave.  But I am jeopardizing my safety if I stay, not to mention everyone in this castle...including you."

            "Yes, but--" Reign looked up into his eyes.  She had never seen him like this--practically begging for her to stay, even if it meant death in the end for both of them.  Nor had she ever seen such compassion.  He looked back into her eyes--anxious, but also confused.  He placed his hand on her cheek, and kissed her.  They melted into each other; she fit perfectly with him.  They took one another in--trying to remember everything about one another in case this was the last time they would be together.  The feelings were indescribable; it was like nothing either of them had ever experienced.  For Severus, he was kissing an elf--whose saliva had immense healing powers--and it was so overpowering that he was becoming weak in the knees.  For Reign, she was kissing a human--and not just any human, but a powerful, sarcastic, and at the same time, in a weird way, romantic wizard--and she decided right then and there that she wanted to stay.  Forever.

            The kiss was over way too soon, but both of them had lost their breath in the moment.  They smiled and looked at each other.  Severus kissed her forehead where her injury was finally receding.  Reign ran her fingers through his hair--soft and silky--and they embraced each other for an eternity.  Finally, as if from another dimension, the bell rang.  They were pulled from their happy world back to reality.  Before Reign could break away, however, Severus kissed her again and whispered,  "How do you say 'I love you'?"  She pulled away and gazed into his eyes.  They were no longer empty but filled with love.  She stared into those deep eyes for a long time, but finally broke away from their spell.  She picked up her books and bag that had fallen to the floor and reached up to grab the door handle.  Before she could reach it, Severus had taken hold of her wrist and helped her up.  He looked disheartened.

            "I am in love with you, Reign," she was still too shocked to speak.  "Am I to believe that you do not share the same feelings for me as I do for you, Miss Chambers?"  He was back to acting like the dreaded Professor Snape.

            "No, no.  It's not like that..."

            "Then do you love me?" he asked, moving closer to her.  She could feel the passion between them, and longed to stay there with him and let the world carry on by itself.  

            "Yes, I do."  He smiled--back to Severus again.  She returned the gesture, and opened the door.

            "Wait," he said, putting his hand up to stop the door from fully opening, "say that you love me."

            "I told you.  I do," she replied, avoiding having to say those exact words.

            "You do what?"  They both laughed, but it was obvious he wanted to hear her say,

            "I love you."  He kissed her again, and sent her on her way.  As Reign walked down the empty hall, she looked behind her--at the billowing black robes of the man that she truly did love--and spoke softly, "_El amor!" _

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	13. Precious Moments

Chapter Thirteen: Precious Moments

Christmas came to Hogwarts, and Reign was still there.  After analyzing her relationship with Severus she had convinced herself to stay--even though she knew she was endangering herself.  That same sickening feeling was growing stronger everyday; the feeling she got whenever evil was near.  Severus felt it too, and showed it.  His Dark Mark was always glowing, but no one saw it except for him and Reign--who, on the evening of Christmas, sat on the floor with him near the fire and gently kissed the scar.

            "Merry Christmas," she whispered.

            "Indeed," he replied as they kissed.  Reign reached into her pocket, pulled out a small box, and placed it in Snape's hands.  He looked at it curiously, having not received a meaningful gift since he was young.  He froze--apprehensive about opening it--until Reign gave him a playful nudge to encourage him.  He flipped open the lid and underneath was the most beautiful gem he had ever seen--an emerald.  It was tied to a leather string, and his eyes started to water as the elf in his lap took the present and placed it around his neck.

            "Not only can an emerald sense my powers, but it _contains my powers also.  So the same feelings you get around me will never leave you--even if I'm not around.  And look," she said, turning it over, "our initials."  S.S.+ R.C.  It was a little childish--like carving into a tree trunk--but it was there as a reminder of their love for each other.  The kiss she received afterwards was so sudden and passionate that she nearly fell over onto her back.  _

            "Thank you so much, Reign," Severus sobbed into her hair.  She wasn't quite sure if that was the reaction she was expecting.  She had never seen him like this, but perhaps no one had ever gotten the chance to get close enough to experience the true Severus.  Or maybe he was softening up because of her; either way, she was quite the lucky elf.  

            Severus pulled away and got up from the rug.  He walked over to his desk and pulled out a package that had obviously been wrapped by him.  

            "This is not as nearly as personalized or special as your gift to me," he said sheepishly as he returned to her, "but perhaps you'll like it anyway."  Reign smiled as she ripped back the paper.  

            "What is it?" she asked as she played with the small object in her hands.  She didn't mean to be rude, but she was an elf.  That should be reason enough to account for her actions.

            "It's a snow globe," he answered, rather harshly.  Reign fondled it a little while, watching the tiny flecks of white fall magically under the glass.  The figure inside was a tree, but not just any tree.  It was an ancient Japanese maple-like tree called a Suko--much like what muggles know as Bonsai trees.  The Suko, however, is of the magical world.  Its leaves are filled with all sorts of different enchanted elements--every one of them is different.  Some contain fire: others, ice.  The flowers from the tree were given by men to their significant others as a symbol of deep admiration.  They were vibrant colors that reflected the powers of the leaves with which they resided.  Some were a dark navy: others, a mellow yellow.  The little mock tree in Reign's globe looked exactly like its larger counterpart, and acted like it also.  Leaves would burst into flames or flash in and out of visibility, and the flowers would wilt and fall to the ground, making way for new buds to replace them.  It was all quite extraordinary, as Severus explained to her.  

            "Severus, this is wonderful.  It's the best gift that I have ever received."  She kissed him deeply, and he returned the affection having recognized her true appreciation for his present.  It was a precious moment for them--sitting together by the warm fire on the most special night of the year--and they didn't waste a minute of their time.  Severus pulled Reign into his arms and carried her over to the bed.  But as soon as he let go of her she scrambled off.  The Potions master sat on the edge of his bed and heaved a great sigh--this was another one of several unsuccessful attempts at taking their relationship one step further.  

            "Is it me?" he asked, more to himself than her.

            "For the hundredth time, no," Reign replied, walking around to where he sat and taking his hands into hers.  She put them to her lips and they glowed like the sun.  "I love you, Severus.  But," she strained to find the right words, "it's just...rather...complicated.  You being a human and me an elf."

            "It can't be that complicated," he murmured, "you're still, _capable, correct?"  Reign laughed.  _

            "Of course!  Our bodies are both perfectly able, it's just that I'm not quite sure that your soul is able to handle the...passion."  She was becoming uneasy.  This time Severus laughed.

            "Well, don't be so modest Miss Chambers," he smiled and pulled her back onto his lap.  His strong arms enveloped her and held her close, and Reign dissolved into his hug.

            "I'm being serious, Severus.  It is the reason that elves aren't allowed to...well..._mate with humans.  The chemicals inside me are so overpowering that they have the potential to kill you."  Severus snickered, but after seeing the disapproving look in her eyes, averted his gaze to the window.  By the position of the moon he guessed it was around midnight._

            "So what do we do?  I am not sure if this is frustrating for you, but I know I can't go on like this."  It was blunt, but at least he was being honest.

            "I know, I know," Reign stared blankly out the window, and thought for a while.  She thought she finally had a conclusion as she turned back to look into those mysterious ebony eyes.  "Well, how about this.  I will sleep with you--or rather, in your bed with you--all night every night until I find out how our bodies would react to each other.  But you have to promise to keep yourself under control."  Severus nodded.

            "Shall we start tonight?" he asked.

            "Let's start now.  I'm exhausted."  Snape kissed her forehead--something she couldn't get enough of--and went around to his wardrobe, where he started to pull off his robes and shirt.  Reign did the same, but left her undershirt on.  Severus hung all his clothes back onto their respected hangers, and frowned when he turned around to see Reign's clothes had been scattered on the floor.  She noticed his look and picked up the garments, throwing them onto a chair.  He smiled to himself as he pulled back the covers to his bed and slipped underneath them.  As Reign joined him, he whispered a few words and the fire and candles died out, leaving them in total darkness.  Reign cuddled close to him, placing her arm around his waist and laying her head on his chest.  His breathing helped her relax.  It had been a long time since she had been with anyone, but at that moment she realized how much she had missed those times.  Severus stroked her silver hair and stared at the ceiling, trying to remember the last time he had felt this content.  He concluded that he had _never felt like this, and was about to say so.  As he turned to Reign, he could tell that she was already half asleep.  So instead of waking her, he kissed her forehead and sighed.  It was the happiest moment of his otherwise meaningless life.  But perhaps now it would begin to have more significance.  Severus Snape felt like he had been reborn that night; and in a way, he was.  _

***SEE THAT BUTTON BELOW?  PRESS IT...GO ON...YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO***


	14. Seemingly Powerless

Chapter Fourteen: Seemingly Powerless

"_Räénh."_

Reign shot up from her pillow.  Her heart was pounding painfully against her chest and she was trembling like a maniac.

            "_Räénh."_

It was pitch black in the room.  She tried to focus her eyes but the voice in her head was slowly taking over her senses.

            "_Come to me."_

            "No," she whispered, careful not to wake the man lying at her side.

            "_Yes," said the voice, coaxing her from the bed.  She had just enough time to wrap the man's robes around her before she no longer had control over her body.  She was walking--walking away from Severus, away from the dungeons--toward her own room.  Her mind was going now also.  She had no idea where she was, but he knew._

Reign struggled up the steps; she tried to keep a clear conscious but the voice in her head kept telling her it was going to be all right, that it would take care of her.  She pushed open the door to her chambers and walked over to her closet.  Buried deep in the back was a small bottle.  She placed it in her pocket and ascended back downstairs.  The voice told her to walk out of the castle and into the forest, and she had no choice but to follow its directions.  The night was bitter cold; Reign pulled Snape's robe tighter around her shirt and shorts as she walked on top of the three inches of snow.  The wind rustled her snow-white hair and goose bumps crept up on her--both from the temperature, and her horrifying situation.  She walked for perhaps three or four miles before she came upon a small clearing.  There was nothing out of the ordinary about it; except for the fact that a dark man was standing in the middle--an evil man.

Voldemort smiled.  "Come to me, child," he beckoned.  Reign did as she was told.  He didn't tell her to stop walking until she was practically on top of him.  The Dark Lord stroked her cheek with one very long, very pale, and very disgusting finger.  "You are even more beautiful in person.  I can see why Severus has kept you from me."  He ran that nasty finger through her hair, stopping at her ear.  He played with the point for some time, never taking his hideous red eyes from hers.  Finally, he reached into her pocket and retrieved the vial he had been after.  He rolled it in his hands, smirking the whole time.  Reign never took her eyes off of him.  "Very good," he whispered, "very good.  Now, what shall I do to you?  You have caused me a lot of trouble these past few years, it is only my right to repay you with the same sort of torment."  Just then a small hooded figure ran into the clearing.  He fell to his master's side, and spoke in a high squeaky voice. 

            "Master, the centaur.  He knows we are here.  He is headed this way with a small band of the creatures of this forest."  His master laughed.

            "You fool.  Have all of what is left of your pitiful brains fallen out of that thick skull of yours on your way here?  Have you forgotten why I am after this?" he asked, shoving the bottle in the shriveling man's face.  "With this, it does not matter who comes after me.  With this, I am invincible."  A low rumble could be heard in the distance.  The ground started to shake.

            "Please master!  Another time!  PLEASE!"  Voldemort pulled out his wand and sent the poor man flying into the nearest tree.  Then he turned his attention toward Reign.  The rumble could now easily be recognized as pounding footsteps.

            "So, what shall I do with you?"  A roar was heard from just outside the clearing.  The creature pulled the top from the vial and drank its entire contents.  He laughed once more as he could feel his muscles, mind, and senses strengthening.  He started to glow--only slightly--a dull white.  The animals were now at the edge of the clearing.  Firenze was in the lead, followed by three others of his kind.  Behind them were unicorns, werewolves, giant spiders, and many others.  They stopped dead in their tracks when they saw a glowing Voldemort who stood alone with an oblivious elf.  

            "Voldemort!" Firenze shouted, "Leave this forest, or we will be forced to fight!"  The dark figure cackled once more.

            "You insolent fools.  How dare you try and threaten me."  He started to walk over to where the centaur stood, then stopped when he realized Reign was still there.  He walked back to her and whispered in her ear.  "Reign," she turned to face him, "go to the lake.  Walk into the middle of it, and don't ever come out."  She nodded.  He smiled and touched her face.  Her body was on fire.  Both turned around and went their opposite ways.  When Reign was out of sight and out of his mind, she broke into a run.  She had a lot of work to do. 

***ON THE COUNT OF THREE, SAY IT WITH ME NOW...ONE...TWO...THREE...PUSH THE BUTTON AND REVIEW***


	15. Rites and Wrongs

Chapter Fifteen: Rites and Wrongs

While Voldemort was thrashing away at the creatures of the forest, Reign was frantically searching for some key ingredients down in Snape's office.  She wasn't exactly sure if she would find them, but she knew she must try.  She was sure the noise from the woods would wake him, but when she went in to check he was still sound asleep.  She eventually found what she was looking for--it seemed to take forever, but he did have the right ingredients.  She threw everything into the pockets of her robes and ran back outside to the very edge of the school grounds.  She pulled the various items from her clothing--a few leaves, some special oils, a flower--and placed them on the ground in a star-like position.  Then she took the emerald that was strapped to her upper left arm and positioned it over her heart.  She stood in the middle of the star and immediately the stone held in place.  A brilliant green light emanated from her chest and shot toward the other elements lying on the ground.  Those items, along with Reign herself, lifted high up off the ground.  The items circled faster and faster around the elf until they were just a blur.  Reign started chanting in her native tongue.

            "_Ashatä elnia ungío, sûndamu kuh ria, sòta nor tio piaçato." (Ancient Elf spirits, protect this land from the evil that threatens it.)  She repeated it over and over again.  Finally, the whirl of items and the emerald threw out such a wondrous ball of light that it lit up the entire night sky.  The ball rose high above the castle, and then it spread downward, covering everything within the grounds with tiny green sparkles.  Reign was then lowered to the ground.  The ingredients were gone, but her jewel fell to her side as she gently hit the snow-laden ground in front of the entrance to the Forbidden Forest.  The fighting could no longer be heard.  She was not sure if the spell was blocking it out or it had just stopped.  She was completely drained--her face was pale and her eyes drooped.  Right before she lost consciousness, she saw Severus and Albus running down the hill toward her._

Reign woke up eight hours later in a hospital bed.  Madam Pomfrey was soaking her head with a damp cloth with one hand and rubbing a foul-smelling oil over her upper chest with the other.  Reign sat up so fast she nearly knocked the poor nurse onto her backside.

            "Oh, Madam Pomfrey, I'm so sorry.  Here, let me help you," Reign tried to get up, but the blood rush to her head held her back.  

            "That's quite all right, dear.  How are you feeling?"  The elf looked down to her bare skin that was soaked with Poppy's oil and sighed.

            "I suppose I've been better.  What is this substance?" she asked, dipping her finger in it--and very soon after regretting that she had.

            "It's just for your wounds.  It will also help with your breathing.  Lie back down now, child."  Reign pushed her hair behind her ears before she put her head back down, but instantly shot back up again--she was still an elf.  Her eyes grew wide and she started shaking, but Poppy just smiled.  "Relax, dear.  The Headmaster told me all about you."  Reign sighed.  She had no desire to keep her secret any longer.  A small cough was heard from behind the curtain.  The man belonging to the cough stepped out and into Reign's view.  A smile graced his face as he came to her and took her hand.

"Welcome back, child."  The old man's eyes sparkled in the dark room.  And yet there was a tinge of worry settled in the depths of them.  The nurse helped her back onto her pillow.  When she was safely tucked in, Madam Pomfrey headed toward the door.  "You try and get some sleep now.  I'll send some food up a little later."

            When Poppy closed the door behind her, Reign's eyes began to wander.  They settled upon a man sitting at the window.  She nearly jumped out of her skin--it was not the first time she had done so that morning.  Severus looked at her sympathetically; he wore his emotions in his eyes.  He went to Reign and sat on the side of her bed.  She propped herself up and kissed him; it had seemed like forever since they last kissed.  Albus did not seem to mind; in fact, he seemed he had known the truth the whole time.  It was only natural of him.  Severus leaned back against the wall and Reign leaned against his chest.  They didn't speak for a long time.  Silence was greatly appreciated as Reign's head was still pounding.  Albus fondled his robes a bit, examining a stray string on the hem.  When he decided to pull it off, it took him a God-awful length of time—the string kept growing longer and longer, and the end of his robes were starting to unravel.  You know how that goes.  He was now grunting slightly as he wrapped the yarn around his nimble fingers, and when he finally ripped it from its mother, the look on his face was one of triumph.  Reign smiled.  Severus wasn't even paying attention.  Albus straightened up and looked at Reign, sending her a message of a need for an explanation.  

            "How does the forest look?" she asked as she broke the silence.  Snape's eyes narrowed, and he frowned slightly.

            "Not good.  There is quite a lot of damage out there.  Several creatures are dead."  Reign frowned.  

"What happened?" Albus asked.

            "Last night Voldemort took control of me.  It was so strange.  I knew what was happening, but I didn't have control over my body.  He made me go up to my room and take out a vial from inside my closet.  Then he dragged me down to where he was in the forest.  I gave him the potion, but when he was deciding 'what to do with' me, a squirmy little guy ran into the clearing, waving his arms like a madman." Severus gave a low grumble.  "He said that some of the animals of the forest knew they were there and were going to come and stop them.  They did come—masses of them.  He drank the potion and then told me to go drown myself.  I got out of there as fast as I could as soon as his concentration was diverted from me," she said excitedly, trying to recount the events, "I came back down to your office, and took a few things.  Then I went back outside to perform an ancient ritual for protection--it was truly amazing, Severus.  It covered the entire school and the immediate grounds.  Voldemort will never be allowed to penetrate it--no matter how strong he gets."  She was sort of smiling to herself, but it faded when Severus asked,

            "So you were conscious of your actions the whole time, yet you still gave him that potion that led to the death of those poor creatures?"  Dumbledore lowered his head.

            "It wasn't the original, remember?  There were just a few drops of it that we blended into a placebo in case something like this ever happened.  It should have worn off by now.  I swear Severus, Albus, I had no control over what he did to me.  There was no way I could stop him.  I was thinking of everyone in this castle.  The children for _Kor's sake!"  There was an awkward moment of silence after that outburst--there had not been one of those between them in a long time.  Both sat with tight jaws and tense muscles.  Reign watched as Severus thought long and hard about the events of the previous night.  She could tell by the look in the Headmaster's eyes that he believed her.  Once Severus glanced in his direction he came to the same conclusion.  He looked at her and sighed.  He pulled her into his arms and kissed the skin above her eyes._

            "You did what you could then, I suppose."  Reign scowled a bit.  Albus laughed and thanked her for her protection spell.  Then he kissed her forehead.

            "I will leave you to rest.  Severus, I do hope that you will give her that opportunity."  He winked.  His eyes looked just like her father's—as did his laugh lines, and his hands, and his quaint little nose.  And he was the epitome of her father's personality.  They so resembled each other that it could have been frightening if it wasn't so warming.  Albus straightened up and glided serenely out the door.  

            Reign looked at the man she loved and smiled.  They kissed again.  The air was light but the bonds were strong.  They pulled apart only when they heard the door to the room open again.

            "_Räénh?"_

_            "Oh no," she whispered.   _


	16. The Unwelcome One and The Scheme

Chapter Sixteen: The Unwelcome One and The Scheme

A man walked into their view.  He looked young.  His eyes were bright blue: his features, prominent.  His hair was as pale as Reign's, but his skin had a much darker complexion.  And his ears were pointed.  When he saw the woman he was looking for he stopped.

            "_Räénh."_

_            "Ionäh."  He looked pleased to see her, but Reign's face remained expressionless.  Severus looked from one to the other, and felt completely awkward.  When the new elf noticed him, he gave him an extremely malicious glare.  Severus raised an eyebrow; he was almost tempted to laugh._

            "_Cae röe el mor?" the stranger asked.__  Reign sighed, then looked Severus in the eyes._

            "Can you give us a minute?" she asked compassionately.  She kissed his cheek, never taking her eyes off of the other elf.  Severus rolled off the bed and brushed passed the newcomer, never stopping to look at him.  His opposite, however, glared as he strode out of the infirmary.  "What are you doing here, Jonah?" she asked in her native tongue.  The elf looked back at her, startled at her question.

            "Is it so wrong that I wish to see my baby sister?"  He loosened up a bit, and moved toward the bed.  

            "No.  It just seems a bit odd that after twenty-two years of no contact you decide to show up here."  She got herself out of the bed and met him at the end.

            "Come on, Reign.  You are the one who ran from us.  Just be happy that I'm here now."  He tried to give her a hug, but she put little effort into it.  He pulled away and looked into her eyes.

            "It is good to see you brother, but your eyes tell me that you are not just here to say hello."  Jonah avoided the hidden question.

            "Who was that human?" he asked with little interest.

            "His name is Severus Snape.  He's a professor here who is helping me with a potion of mine."

            "Is that all he's doing?"  Reign's eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared.

            "What do you want Jonah?  Why are you really here?"  The elf sighed and looked quickly around the room.  Then he replied,

            "I came to bring you home."

            "I don't want to go home."

            "It doesn't matter," he said, moving closer to her, "Reign, the elders know what you're doing here.  They know about the potion, what happened in the forest just outside--and they know about Severus."

            "So?  What do they care what I do with my life?"  She always acted slightly immature when he was around.  It was a habit that she hated but could not break.

            "They don't.  Unless what you do endangers the life of the tribe."  Reigns head shot up.  

            "What are you talking about?"  

            "Have you forgotten the rules of the elves?"  She tilted her head, confused.  Jonah rolled his eyes.  "The one that says no elf shall ever love a human?"  Reign blinked.

            "What about it?  I'm not hurting anyone--"

            "Reign it's forbidden.  Elves and humans are not supposed to be together.  Our race is pure.  If we start mingling with humans then pretty soon our species will be taken over and we will become extinct.  It doesn't matter if you aren't hurting anyone; if we let you do it, we have to let everyone do it."

            "I'm not going home, Jonah.  I love him."  Her brother cringed at the sound of her words.  

            "Reign," his tone was quieter; softer, "the elders did not just send me because I am your brother.  They sent me because I am the general of our armies and the strongest in the regiment."  Now she was genuinely puzzled, and slightly worried.  "You must come home with me."

            "Why?"

            "Because if you don't, I have direct orders to kill Severus."  Reign fell back onto the bed.  Her eyes glazed over as she stared blankly at her brother.

            "_What?"_

_            "They want you back.  For your own good and the good of our people."  He came to the bed at sat by her side.  "Believe me, this is the last thing I want to do to you."  He put a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off._

            "You could care less about him," she spat angrily.  There was a pause, then Jonah looked her straight in the eye and replied,

            "You're right.  I could care less about him.  But I care so much for you."  Reign snorted.

            "Come off it, Jonah."

            "I have no choice, Reign.  I must do what I am told.  You can either stay here and I will kill him, or you can save him and come home."  Those were excellent choices.  The reality of the situation began to sink in as she pulled herself from the bed and went over to the window.  It was a beautiful day outside; it was ironic, seeing as her day had just become blacker than the darkest night.

            "He won't let me go.  Not without a fight."

            "Then push him away."  Reign spun around.

            "What?"

            "Tell him you don't love him."

            "He would never believe that."

            "Make him believe it then," he said as he got up and strode toward her.  "Hurt him to save him."  Reign fell to the floor, too stunned even to speak.


	17. Bad Dreams and Harsh Realities

Chapter Seventeen: Bad Dreams and Harsh Realities

            "Has anyone seen Dorrin Chambers?"  Severus pushed through the crowd of students on their way to dinner, looking around frantically for Reign.  No one was answering him; they were shocked that he seemed so worried about her.  His hair was all mangled—even more than usual—and his eyes were on fire.  Severus spotted Chase and his friends ascending the stairs and ran toward them.  "Have any of you seen Dorrin Chambers?"  Nigel, Helena, and Chase all stood paralyzed.  Snape could have slapped them all.  "Mr. Dumbledore?  Jones?  Saxon?  Have you seen her?  ANSWER ME!"

            "Um, um," Chase stuttered.

            "Is that the extent of your vocabulary?"  Chase straightened up.

            "No, Professor, we have not seen Dorrin."  Severus looked at the other two, and they shook their heads in agreement.

            "Well thank you for that complete waste of my time," he spat, pushing passed them to continue his search.  He ran to the last place he thought of--the Gryffindor common room.

            "Password," The Fat Lady demanded.

            "Please, ma'am.  I'm looking for a student named Dorrin Chambers.  Is she in?"

            "Yes."

            "I really need to speak with her."

            "I'm sorry Professor, but rules are rules."  Severus was became furious.  He pulled out his wand and cast a spell on the woman in the portrait that knocked her out.

            "_Alohamora," he spoke.  The door swung open and Snape slipped inside the room.  "Reign?  REIGN!"  Upstairs in her room, Reign froze.  She wiped the tears from her eyes and went out onto the balcony.  _

            "I'm here, Professor."  Severus ran up the stairs to her and pulled her into his arms.

            "Where have you been?  You weren't in the infirmary when I came back.  I was getting worried."  Reign pulled violently from his grasp and turned to walk back in her chambers.  Bewildered, Severus followed her.

            "I've been packing," she replied as she continued with her task.

            "What?  Where are you going?  Who was that elf?"  Reign spun around and glowered at him.

            "That elf was my brother.  I'm going home with him.  Today."  Snape's bottom lip fell to the floor.

            "What about us?"

            "There is no us, Severus.  Jonah made me realize that I do not belong here--or with you."  He was at a loss for words.  Reign continued packing, but was nervous that he wasn't saying anything.  "Besides, I told you that if we didn't find an anti-potion, I was going to leave." 

"But, what about us?" he repeated, moving closer to her.  Reign longed to give up just then, but she knew she had to be strong.  "Don't you love me?"  She started to break out into a cold sweat.

            "No, I do not love you," she lied.  Severus grabbed her shoulders and spun her around to face him.

            "I don't believe you Reign.  There's something you're not telling me.  What's wrong?"  She was on the verge of tears.  Looking into his eyes, she loved him more than ever.  She cursed her wretched heritage.

            "There's nothing wrong, except that you are still here.  I need to pack, Professor."

            "NO!  Reign, you're lying to me!  I love you, and I know that you love me too.  Please, if something is wrong, tell me!"  He was screaming now.

            "Nothing is wrong, Severus.  I am an elf.  I belong with the elves.  I was foolish to think I could ever fall in love with a human.  There is a disparity between us.  Humans are inferior to the elves," she was panting as she raged on.  "You are not worthy of me."  Severus began to shake.  He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

            "What?"

            "You heard me.  Get out.  I don't ever want to see you again."  The Potions master picked up his robes and started toward the door.  He shut his eyes tight in order to suppress his tears.  But Reign could not stop hers; they pouring out of her eyes, but she had turned to the window so he couldn't see her anguish.

            "Very well, Miss Chambers.  I'm so sorry to have disturbed you," his voice was pure ice.  It sent familiar shivers up Reign's back, making her quiver.  "I am even sorry to say I ever met you."  He regretted it as soon as he said it, but it would be the last thing he said to the elf that he loved.  He slammed the door behind him and walked swiftly down and out of Gryffindor Tower.  The Fat Lady was still unconscious.  After reviving her and apologizing about a thousand times, she finally agreed not to report him.  Severus then sulked away, swaying back and forth.  His head was heavy on his neck, and his legs began to tremble.  What had just happened?  It seemed like a nightmare.  He dragged himself up to the astronomy tower; he often went there to think.  This time he went up there hoping to wake up from his horrible dream.


	18. Saying Goodbye

SAYING GOODBYE

May It Be

May it be an evening star

Shines down upon you

May it be when darkness falls

Your heart will be true

You walk a lonely road

Oh!  How far you are from home

_Mornie utúlië_ (darkness has come)

Believe and you will find your way

_Mornie alantië_ (darkness has fallen)

A promise lives within you now

May it be shadows call

Will fly away

May it be you journey on

To light the day

When the night is overcome

You may rise to find the sun

_Mornie utúlië_ (darkness has come)

Believe and you will find your way

_Mornie alantië_ (darkness has fallen)

A promise lives within you now

Performed by Enya on The Lord of the Rings 

Motion picture soundtrack

Chapter Eighteen: Saying Goodbye

Reign stopped her packing and went over to the window.  She pulled back the curtains and pushed open the glass panes.  The sun was so intense; it warmed her face but not her heart.  She looked over the grounds.  Gryffindor was having Quidditch practice; she could hear Blaine's voice shouting commands from where she was perched.  A light wind rustled her hair and clothes as she took in all the wonderful smells of the outdoors.  She closed her eyes and it felt as if she was flying.  When she opened them and looked down she saw Hagrid holding the reins of her horse; it was a magnificent Palatino Shire named Cypress--the chosen horse of her people.  It was the largest breed of 'Muggle' horses; its head alone was a foot above Hagrid's.  He gave a half-hearted wave as he spotted Reign in the window.  She waved back as more tears fell down her cheeks.  She closed the window and drew the curtains.  Turning around, she surveyed her dorm room--however small it was she was still going to miss it.  She was going to miss everything about Hogwarts--especially Severus.  Tears poured out of her eyes and she started to tremble once more as she went to shut her trunk.  She pulled from her pouch a small bag filled with a golden powder.  She reached in and pulled a pinch of it out.  Then she sprinkled it over her belongings, and they were sent back to her home.  She replaced the sack and walked slowly to the door.  Before walking out, she said a prayer.

            "_Ukà Kor el bie." (May _Kor_ bless this place.)  She then closed the door and walked down the stairs to the common room.  She said the same prayer there, also.  In fact, she said it in practically every place she walked through as she made her way through the castle on her way outside.  She even attempted to hug The Fat Lady, who was a little startled, but also a bit teary-eyed after their encounter.  She continued her own little parting ritual as she walked through the hallways, down the stairs, and into the Great Hall.  There she saw Nigel, Chase, and Helena.  They eyed her and waved.  She waved back, but didn't join them--it would be too hard to try and explain to them her situation, so she decided to walk on past and out the main gate.  Waiting for her were Albus, Hagrid, and Jonah.  She gave Albus a hug, whispering in his ear,_

            "Thank you for everything.  _Uká Kor el â." (May _Kor_ bless you.)  Jonah frowned at her blessings.  Dumbledore pulled back and held her at arms' length._

            "I'm so glad you came into our lives.  You brightened up some very gloomy aspects of this school," Reign knew exactly whom he was talking about.  "I only wish you could stay."  He hugged her again, whispering, "I'll tell him goodbye for you," to which she replied, "Thank you."  She then let go and went to Hagrid, who was sniffling like a young child with an injury.  She smiled as she jumped up and kissed him on the cheek.  He grabbed the elf and held her in an enormous bear hug.

            "I'm sure goin' to miss ya, Reign," he spurted through sobs.

            "I'm going to miss you too, Hagrid.  _Uká Kor el â."  He released her and gave her the reins to her horse.  She looked at them one more time, then up to the castle.  It seemed like forever ago that she first came there.  She had certainly grown since then.  As her eyes wandered they stopped at a dark figure at the top of the Astronomy Tower.  She longed to run up there to him, fall into his arms, and stay with him forever--but instead she turned and climbed up onto her horse.  Jonah sat atop his animal and smiled at the man on top on the castle.  The figure stood watching her--silent and motionless.  He watched her wave to the two figures below him, then to Blaine as she galloped past their practice.  When the two men went back inside the castle, he was stilling watching her as she ran off into the sunset.  His heart was empty again, and it would be a very long time before it ever healed._

***ONE PUSH OF A BUTTON COULD CHANGE MY LIFE FOREVER...PLEASE REVIEW***

NOTE: The reason I added this song (ironically from The Lord of the Rings) is because I was listening to it just the other day and imagined in my mind Reign walking in her room, over to the window, waving to Hagrid, walking back and down through the school, outside, giving hugs, throwing herself on her horse and running away.  If you listen to the song, you can picture it too.  It's beautiful, and can be way sad too.  Just a bit of "useless facts you'll never use anywhere".


	19. Old Friend

Chapter Nineteen: Old Friend

It was almost two days before Reign stopped to rest.  Jonah had left her in the first day of their journey, mentioning something about getting back to his troops.  It was horrible for him to leave her like that.  But she knew that he had only gone with her this far was to make sure she was too far to go back.  And she was.  Her stallion--Cypress--was the one who demanded that they paused in their travels by throwing her off his back.  The horse had a very profound personality--he snorted when Reign got up laughing and dusted herself off.  It was the first time she had laughed in forever.  She walked up to Cypress and massaged his muzzle, apologizing.  The horse closed his eyes at her touch and rocked gently to the soothing strokes of her hand on his snout.  He was slightly disgruntled when she pulled away, but when she returned with an apple for him, all was forgiven.  As he was chomping away at his fruit the elf went into the trees.  She returned a few moments later with a small bundle of twigs, branches, and two logs.  She set them on the ground a few feet between her and the horse.  Then, lifting her hands to the sky, she closed her eyes and spoke.

            "_Similia similious curantur."  (Fight fire with fire.)  A small sphere of light appeared in her closed hands, and she dropped them to her side, releasing the ball of fire onto the wood.  The fire illuminated their rest stop--another clearing, in another forest, on one very depressing journey back home.  She went over to Cypress and removed his saddle and reins.  After setting them down, she reached inside one of the side pouches and pulled out her own dinner--a few vegetables--and two more apples for her stallion.  When she pulled out the second fruit, an object fell out along with it.  She picked it up and rolled it between her hands; she was lost in oblivion, thinking about him, and missing him.  A solitary tear escaped her eye and fell to the ground.  Cypress noticed her sudden change of attitude and nudged her slightly.  She immediately broke free of her void.  Reign turned to him and took his mighty cheeks in her hands, whispering familiar thank-yous to him, as it was quite often he would be the one to shake her from her dream world.  She went over to the fire, leading Cypress there also.  She sat down, pulled out a carrot, and stared at the object that had caused her mind to travel elsewhere.  It was, in fact, the globe that he had gotten her for Christmas.  A time that seemed so long ago.  _

When she awoke to reality, it was not because her horse had touched her, but because she heard strange noises from the trees surrounding them.  The rustle of leaves, the snapping of twigs, the slight shaking of the ground beneath them--all were signs that something big was hiding in those trees.  Reign sprang from the ground, drew her sword, and demanded that the creature show itself.  There was a long moment of silence before the noises started up again.  Whatever the creature was, it was now right at the edge of the clearing.  Its shadow suggested it to be an enormous animal; even Cypress backed away from it.  Reign, however, walked closer and demanded once again for the monster to reveal itself.  It did indeed do so, and very gracefully at that.  Its left foot was visible first, stepping into the clearing and into the moonlight, which lit its razor sharp claws and shining green scales that covered the limb.  Next came its other foot and legs, ridiculously muscular.  Then came the chest, jutting out, lean, and with the heart visibly beating against it.  Following that was a head--held high and proud.  Two glistening gray eyes stuck out from overly defined brow bones.  Its snout was of medium length, but its teeth made up for the lack of.  Small horns stuck out on either side of the head, with two larger ones at the top of the crest.  Advancing farther into the arena, a long and strong torso could be seen, which ended with a spade-spiked tail.  The legs resembled that of a lions--also muscular and well defined--but with the same forest green scales that covered the rest of the body.   But by far the most noticeable feature of the monster was the two giant wings that protruded from the middle of its back.  They stretched far into the trees on either side of it; the creature itself was as tall as a Quidditch pole.  

By the time it had entered fully into the clearing, Reign had already replaced her sword, and Cypress moved carefully forward as his memory slowly came to recall whom exactly this monster was.  It was the Siberian Korento that they had met on their way to Hogwarts (though not knowing that they were headed there at the time).  Cypress began to remember how they had met on one unusually cold summer night, how they had experimented and created that ridiculous potion, and how Reign had left him to wander the forests of England by himself while she hid at the Wizarding School.  Reign bowed deeply in front of the great dragon, and he did the same for her.  

            "It is good to see you old friend.  How have you been?"  She asked as she returned to the fire.  The dragon followed her and laid down by her side, answering,

            "Very well, though I've been very bored.  And you, elf?"  Reign sat staring into the flames for a moment.  She looked up into the deep eyes of the dragon--which were such a dark gray that they reminded her of his--and her eyes swelled up with water.  She batted them repeatedly so as not to let another tear escape.   Noticing her dismay, the dragon lowered his head and whispered in a soothing tone,

            "Tell me your troubles."  So she did.  She spent the entire night telling him her story.  The creature remained silent, listening intently to what she had to say.  Cypress was asleep by the time she finished, but the dragon had never been more awake.  "I am so sorry to have caused you this great pain."

            "No, dear friend.  It was not you who caused it.  It was my idea to experiment; it was my fault that this damned thing ever came into existence."  She pulled out the vial from her pouch and threw it across the clearing.  It smashed into a near-by tree, but instead of seeping into the earth, it collected into a puddle.  The shattered pieces of the bottle magically fastened themselves together, and the potion was as it was before it was tossed.  Reign sighed.  The dragon wanted to comfort her, but he felt that putting his foot on her shoulder as a sign of reassurance would have crushed her, and so he thought better of it.  Instead he settled for looking up at the night sky, which was filled with millions of stars.

            "Reign, look up at the sky."  She raised her head, with tears now pouring out of her eyes.  She wiped them away, ashamed that she let them fall.  The stars were brilliant that night, shining as if they were a million fireflies just come out on a midsummer's eve.  "Those stars are like all the creatures of this world.  Some are large: others, small.  Some shine brighter than the others, and there are still others who pull those in around them and lead them in their orbit," he explained.  "Do you see that one in the southern most corner out to the east?"  Reign shook her head.  "That is the sun of the solar system Aurora.  It is the brightest star in the sky.  It is the center of the galaxy, reigning down upon all the other stars."  He looked down into her eyes.  "Reign, you are that star."  The elf smiled.  She put a hand on the dragon's snout as a sign of gratitude, and then turned to look once more at the sky.  When she did, a shooting star feel across her view.  She made a wish.  Then she closed her eyes and leaned back against the dragon's powerful chest, and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.  


	20. Shattered

Chapter Twenty: Shattered

It was mid afternoon by the time Reign packed up and headed out.  The sun was already high in the sky, which didn't contain a single cloud.  It was a long journey back to her homeland, one that would be less lonely for the elf now that she had the dragon with her.  Not that Cypress was boring, but he spoke nothing but horse; so you can't blame Reign for wanting someone to communicate with.  The trees wrapped tightly around the travelers, and so the dragon was forced into the air.  He glided just above the treetops, keeping careful watch over his two smaller companions.  It was not a treacherous journey back to her homeland, but with Reign, anything could happen.

As the second day of her journey drew to a close, Reign and her comrades conveniently found a large cave in the base of Mt. Uniché--which wasn't even a 'mountain' at all, but an enormous plateau that sat out in the middle of the Great Plains.  The three weary travelers made their camp inside one of its caverns.  Instead of Reign making the fire that night, the dragon gracefully suggested that he do it instead, which made sense--he was, after all, a fire-breathing dragon.  After they were settled, Reign's mind began to wander again.  She kept thinking about the potion she and the creature had made.  How could she possibly rid herself of it?  Just because she was no longer at Hogwarts did not mean that Voldemort could still find her and take it.  Her eyebrows turned downward in a scowl as she thought long and hard about her predicament.  She looked at the dragon, who was sound asleep; his great body moved up and down as he slowly breathed in and out.  Reign studied him for a long time, somehow thinking--nay, knowing--that he had the answer.  But her lack of realizations caused her to become so irritated that she got up and started to pace around the cave.  Only the embers remained from the fire that the dragon had created, and even they were now losing their glow.  Cypress lay in the corner, his breathing also causing his body to float up and down.  The elf looked from one to the other and was envious of their sleep.  She looked at the larger of the two, and was all-of-a-sudden jealous of his carefree life.  He did not have to worry about a thing (except being murdered by a knight, which was rarely the case in those times).  He was so graceful, so magical, so powerful.

And then it hit her.  It struck her so hard she nearly threw herself into the wall for not realizing it before.  It was the most obvious solution and yet all had failed to notice it.  Reign rushed to her pouch and pulled out the cursed potion.  Before waking up the dragon she laughed in spite of herself.  How could one little bottle cause so much trouble?  It didn't matter, because hopefully now it would cause no more.  She rushed over to the sleeping beast and flicked him on the nose.  His head shot up like a cannon, and he looked extremely agitated.

            "Yes?" he asked irritably.  Reign held up the vial for him to see.

            "I think I've finally figured out a way to get rid of this."  She paused for dramatic effect, which just annoyed the dragon more.

            "Well?  Get on with it."

            "This potion is made from your blood--dragon's blood.  You were born with an immunity to all other magic, and there is none in the world more powerful than a dragon's magic."  Her opposite now looked curious and a bit confused.  "So if you drink this, it won't have any affect on you!  Do you see?"

            "Unfortunately yes, though I am ashamed to have not thought of it sooner."

            "As am I, friend, as am I," Reign replied, remembering all the results of their experimenting.  She walked over and placed the vial in the creature's hands, who then put it up to his lips and let the potion pour down his throat.  When all was consumed she stepped back, waiting for a reaction.  Luckily none came--with the exception of a small belch.  Reign could hardly believe that it was finally over.  She could have slapped herself for being so ignorant, but as stated before, it didn't matter anymore.  The next morning she climbed the plateau and stood at the top, admiring the sunrise and all the wonderful colors she brought with her.  The most brilliant of these colors was red.  No matter how beautiful it was it reminded Reign of blood--blood that seeped from a broken heart.  With all her might she threw the bottle into the sun, and was content when she saw it shatter into a thousand pieces on the ground below.  And when they were all packed up once more and began the last leg of their journey, the pieces were still there--shattered, like her heart.

***

NOTE: I am fed up with editing this story and I have too much homework to continue shredding it up and adding more detail.  Besides, I need to get started on the sequel (so many ideas I think my head may implode.  Or explode.)  But for now, the journey is over.  I hope you enjoyed it.  If you didn't catch the note at the beginning, or even if you did, here is a reminder: there will be a sequel (for those who think that was a lousy ending for a romance with Severus Snape).  HOORAY!

A/N: Now that you've read this, may I suggest:

The Return: The sequel to "The Stranger", but can be read by itself-not yet complete.

Eye of the Enigma: A story about a very powerful wizard who travels to Hogwarts.  You can just imagine how things may unfold.

Visions: Sequel to "Eye of the Enigma"-not yet complete.


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